US representative Meng, Chu, and Krishnamoorthi urge immediate granting of TPS status to Nepalis

WASHINGTON:- Representative Grace Meng, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, along with former Chair Representative Judy Chu and Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, have written a letter to President Trump and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markven Mullin, urging the Trump administration to immediately grant ‘Temporary Protected Status’ (TPS) to eligible Nepali citizens following the devastating floods.

They have urged the administration to immediately grant ‘Temporary Protected Status’ (TPS) to eligible Nepali citizens following devastating floods that have affected more than 1.6 million people.

TPS allows individuals already residing in the U.S.—who face significant danger if they were to return to their home country due to war, natural disasters, or other crises—to legally live and work there.

On August 26, a glacial outburst triggered devastating floods in the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river basins, wreaking havoc on communities across northern and central Nepal. According to data as of September 21, 2026, Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority reported the recovery of 1,451 bodies, with over 5,780 people still missing and approximately 20,000 homes destroyed.

Roads, bridges, schools, hydropower projects, and other essential infrastructure have been destroyed or severely damaged. The Government of Nepal estimates that recovery efforts will cost US$4.78 billion.

Nepal had previously been granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) following the devastating 2015 earthquake. That status was revoked earlier this year, and in August 2026, the DHS ordered approximately 7,000 Nepalis holding TPS to leave the country or face deportation.

Letter written to President Trump on behalf of the Caucus:

Dear President Trump and Secretary Mullin,

We write regarding the catastrophic flooding that struck Nepal on August 26, 2026, and to urge the Administration to consider immediate temporary protections for Nepali nationals in the United States in light of the extraordinary humanitarian and recovery challenges facing the country.

Nepal’s previous Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation was based on conditions following the devastating 2015 earthquake and was terminated after the Department of Homeland Security determined that Nepal had sufficiently recovered from that disaster. following an assessment that the country had substantially recovered from 2015 earthquake and was able to adequately handle the return of its nationals. The August 2026 disaster presents a new and fundamentally different set of circumstances that warrants a new assessment based on current country conditions.

On August 26, 2026, a catastrophic glacial collapse and resulting ice-rock avalanche sent floodwaters, mud, and debris through the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river corridors, devastating communities across northern and central Nepal. An estimated 1.6 million people have been impacted by this disaster. As of September 21, 2026, Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority reports 1,451 bodies recovered, over 5,780 people still missing, and an estimated 20,000 houses destroyed. Search and recovery operations remain underway. Roads, bridges, schools, hydropower facilities, and other essential infrastructure have been destroyed or severely damaged. Nepal’s government estimates that recovery and reconstruction will cost $4.78 billion, underscoring the scale of the disaster.

These conditions have placed an extraordinary burden on Nepal as the country undertakes massive rescue, humanitarian, and reconstruction efforts. Many Nepali nationals currently living in the United States are from the communities directly affected by this disaster. Families are attempting to determine whether their loved ones are alive, if homes remain standing, and if their communities remain accessible. The humanitarian concern is particularly acute for former Nepali TPS beneficiaries who no longer have TPS protection and for other Nepali nationals whose immigration cases remain unresolved. For many, removal would mean returning to a country where their homes and communities no longer exists and relatives are missing or deceased.

We therefore respectfully urge the Administration to grant TPS protection to Nepal immediately, under 8 U.S.C. § 1254a(b)(1), based on the conditions created by the August 26, 2026 disaster. TPS was specifically designated for situations like this, and the Immigration and Nationality Act specifically lists flood and environmental disasters as a clear reason to designate TPS. We further urge the Administration to engage with the Government of Nepal to secure an official request for redesignation under the environmental disaster authority of 8 U.S.C. § 1254a(b)(1)(B), which would provide an additional, complementary basis for protection.

Such action would be consistent with both the statute and longstanding precedent. DHS has previously designated countries for TPS following catastrophic environmental disasters, including flooding in Honduras and Nicaragua and the devastating 2015 earthquake in Nepal, which killed nearly 9,000 people and displaced millions. The August 2026 floods have similarly caused a substantial, temporary disruption of living conditions, devastating communities and critical infrastructure across Nepal. These floods constitute a new and independent environmental disaster, separate from the conditions underlying Nepal’s previous TPS designation, and warrant a new determination based on current country conditions.

If TPS designation cannot be immediately provided, we respectfully ask the Administration to consider other appropriate temporary protections, including Deferred Enforced Departure for eligible Nepali nationals and a temporary pause on removals to areas of Nepal where rescue, recovery, and stabilization efforts remain underway.

The United States and Nepal have maintained a longstanding partnership, and the United States has repeatedly stood with the Nepali people in the aftermath of natural disasters. Providing appropriate, temporary protections while Nepal undertakes this difficult recovery would be consistent with that partnership and with the humanitarian purposes established by Congress in our immigration laws.

Given the urgency of this situation, we respectfully request prompt consideration of this matter and a response by October 9, 2026.