Resources
Protect Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Holders in Ohio
What is TPS?
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is a humanitarian program that allows people from countries experiencing armed conflict, natural disasters, or other extraordinary crises to live and work legally in the United States while their home countries remain unsafe for return.
Now, thousands of TPS holders across the country are losing their legal protection and work authorization as designations are ending, even though many of their home countries are still in crisis.
Here in Ohio, there are 26,490 TPS holders, most originally from Venezuela, Honduras, Haiti, and El Salvador. Many have lived here for years, raising families, buying homes, and working in essential industries. Despite ongoing instability, violence, and economic collapse in their home countries, their protection in the U.S. is now at risk.
Ohio has the 13th largest number of TPS holders in the United States, and together they contribute over a billion dollars in taxes and help keep our local economy strong. Ending TPS would not only harm these individuals and their families but also deeply affect Ohio’s communities and workforce.
Now is the time to urge our elected officials to protect TPS holders and call for a permanent, humane solution.
Example Call or Email Script
Subject: Protect Ohio’s TPS Holders
Message:
Hello,
My name is [Your Name], and I’m a resident of [Your City], Ohio. I’m writing to urge you to oppose the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and to support legislation that provides a pathway to permanent residency for TPS holders.
TPS allows people from countries facing war, natural disasters, or other extraordinary circumstances to live and work legally in the U.S. Ohio is home to more than 26,000 TPS holders, many from Venezuela, Honduras, Haiti, and El Salvador. They are integral members of our communities, working, paying taxes, and raising families.
Their home countries are still experiencing severe humanitarian crises, and ending TPS would put lives at risk. I hope you’ll stand with TPS holders and advocate for policies that keep families together and strengthen our communities.
Thank you for your time and for representing Ohio.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your City, OH]
Find Your Representatives
You can look up your representatives here:
U.S. Representatives and Senators: www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
Ohio State Legislators: www.legislature.ohio.gov
The Myth of Self-Deportation
Deportation is a legal process that only a judge or DHS can order — not something people do to themselves. Using this term spreads fear, fuels anti-immigrant propaganda, and confuses real stories of migration.
Check out the graphics below to learn more about the myth of “self-deportation.”
Fundraise for IIA
During these uncertain times, immigrant and refugee families need our support more than ever. With deepening budget cuts and growing uncertainty around the future of refugee resettlement and immigrant rights, organizations like the International Institute of Akron are facing serious challenges in continuing this vital work.
Whether families are experiencing housing insecurity, job loss, legal struggles, or the overwhelming task of rebuilding their lives in a new country, your support matters.
Host a fundraiser for IIA and help provide essentials like case management, food, rent, school supplies, interpretation services, and legal assistance to those who need it most.
Use our Fundraising Guide to get started—with easy steps, creative ideas, and tools to help you make an impact. Access our fundraising guide by clicking on the image below.
Together, we can ensure Akron remains a welcoming, supportive home for all.
Know Your Rights
If you are an immigrant interested in a presentation on knowing your rights if ICE stops you, please email Kevin.Walter@iiakron.org
American Immigration Lawyers Association - Know Your Rights: If ICE Visits Your Home (English & Spanish)
Immigration Legal Resource Center - Red Cards / Tarjetas Rojas (Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, English, Farsi, French, Haitian Creole, Hmong, Khmer, Korean, Pashto, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Tigrinya, Ukrainian, Vietnamese)
Advocacy
Families in our communities are living in fear due to ICE enforcement, creating unnecessary harm and instability. This is not the way forward. Additionally, the Refugee Resettlement Program provides essential services that help newcomers rebuild their lives, and we must ensure its continued support and funding
Take a stand by calling your representatives and telling them:
✅ I oppose the fear and uncertainty caused by aggressive ICE enforcement tactics in our communities. These actions tear families apart, undermine trust, and destabilize neighborhoods.
✅ I support continued—and increased—funding and resources for refugee resettlement programs. These programs are essential lifelines for people fleeing violence and persecution, and they reflect our nation's best values.
✅ I demand that due process be upheld for every immigrant. This includes access to legal representation, fair hearings, and humane treatment throughout the immigration system.
For contact information of your local representatives, please visit: https://findmydistrict.ohiosos.gov/
For a sample call and email script, please visit: https://www.aclu-il.org/en/talking-your-representatives
Please see additional resources below:
Ohio Immigrant Alliance: Tell Ohio Policymakers: “I stand with immigrants!”
Self-Education Resources
We will be sharing educational materials to help supporters gain a better understanding of any updates, news, or information.
One of the best ways to make a difference is through education—understanding the history, policies, and personal stories that shape immigrant experiences. Below is a curated list of books that offer deep insight into the realities of migration, refugee crises, and resilience.
Recommended Reads:
Not a Nation of Immigrants by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz – Challenges the traditional narrative that the U.S. is a nation built by immigrants, revealing the deep-rooted history of settler colonialism, forced displacement, and exclusionary policies.
Everyone Who is Gone is Here by Jonathan Blitzer – A deeply reported book that follows asylum seekers and immigration advocates, providing a gripping look at the U.S. immigration system’s failures and complexities.
Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen by Jose Antonio Vargas – Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas shares his powerful personal story of growing up undocumented in America, offering a raw and emotional perspective on identity and belonging.
The Girl Who Smiled Beads by Clemantine Wamariya – A heartbreaking yet hopeful memoir about escaping the Rwandan genocide as a child, spending years in refugee camps, and rebuilding a new life in the U.S.
The Ungrateful Refugee by Dina Nayeri – A thought-provoking blend of memoir and investigative reporting, challenging the way refugees are perceived and the burdens placed upon them.
The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen – A collection of beautifully written short stories that explore the lives of Vietnamese refugees, shedding light on themes of displacement, survival, and identity.