Provide time, order and mercy for Salvadoran TPS holders

I write as a proud U.S. citizen, but also as someone who has experienced firsthand the trauma and uncertainty of being an immigrant and, later, the relief and opportunity afforded by Temporary Protected Status before I obtained permanent residency.

I came to the U.S. as a young man, fleeing the civil war in El Salvador and seeking safety and the opportunity for a better life. Through the Temporary Protected Status program, I received authorization to work and was able to remain legally in the U.S. That work permit allowed me to hold different jobs, support myself, and pay taxes. I worked mostly in the construction and the janitorial industries — jobs which gave me a profound sense of dignity. They allowed me not only to earn an honest living, but also to know that, through my work, service, and taxes, I was contributing to the country that had opened its doors to me.

In time, other doors opened. I entered formation for the priesthood and was ordained in 2004. In 2023, I was ordained an auxiliary bishop of Washington, and since Jul. 2, I have had the privilege of serving as Bishop of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, which encompasses the entire state of West Virginia.

I share these details because my experience has taught me what legal status and the opportunity to work can mean in the life of an immigrant. What the Salvadoran community in the U.S. is facing today, with an uncertain future, could have been my story.

I understand both the love that immigrants can have for this nation and the personal struggles........

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