On Tuesday, Rep. Luis V. Gutiérrez (D-IL) wrote Secretary of State John Kerry asking that he make public the Department of State’s assessment and recommendation regarding granting of TPS (Temporary Protected Status) to citizens of Ecuador in the United States. A strong earthquake devastated areas of Ecuador on April 16 and there have been strong aftershocks since then. TPS would temporarily protect certain Ecuadorians already living in the U.S. from deportation, allowing them to work here and augment the country’s recovery through remittances sent back to Ecuador. While the Congressman has learned that the assessment was in fact delivered to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), it is not clear whether or not the Department of State recommended that TPS be granted.

“My constituents and I would greatly appreciate knowing what exactly the State Department recommended to DHS on this matter,” the Congressman wrote today to Secretary Kerry. “In the interests of transparency, especially for the numerous Ecuadorian nationals living in the U.S. and those U.S. citizens with strong ties to Ecuador, I urge you to make public the recommendation that was made by State to DHS regarding TPS… Citizens of Ecuador and citizens of the United States deserve to know how the U.S. government is deliberating – or failing to deliberate – a TPS designation.” There has been no word on TPS for Ecuador recently from the Obama Administration. “I am worried that if a decision is made not to grant TPS, no announcement will be made,” the Congressman said today. “People’s lives hang in the balance and they deserve to know if a decision has been made and if so, what it is. Their families and their country have gone through a huge trauma in this natural disaster that continues to impact their lives. The lack of information is disrespectful and needlessly multiplies and drags out the tragedy and trauma.” Rep. Gutiérrez represents the Fourth District of Illinois, is a Member of the House Judiciary Committee and is the Co-Chair of the Immigration Task Force of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.