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Local Salvadoran Residents Speak Out About Losing Temporary Protected Status

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - Nearly 200,000 Salvadoran immigrants currently live in the U.S. Many fled El Salvador in the 1980's and 90's because of civil unrest and natural disasters.

We looked at how President Trump's order to end temporary protected status for the Salvadorans is affecting one business.

Serving traditional Salvadoran meals has been the pride and joy of Marvin Alvarado and his family. They've owned Las Palmas in South Sacramento for the past 10 years. Their American dream is now in jeopardy.

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"It hurts our business, a lot of families are gonna have to be leaving, a lot of our customers are Salvadorean," Alvarado said.

Their clients, most of whom came to the U.S. under "temporary protection status", now fear they'll have to go back to El Salvador; a country — Alvarado says — is still facing civil unrest and is overrun with corruption and gangs.

"They're gonna have to go back to the situation, maybe they'll get killed, jumped in, or robbed.
Whatever it may be, and it's a horrible situation," Alvarado added.

Among Salvadoran immigrants facing deportation are Alvarado's cousins who came to the U.S. in the 90s under TPS.

"These are people that come to this country and the thought of it is the American dream, they are hard-working people," said Laura Bonilla.

Bonilla, Alvarado's sister, is heartbroken by President Donald Trump's Monday announcement.

As thousands of Salvadorans across California begin to cope with the possibility of having to find a new home, customers at the family-owned Las Palmas may have to do the same.

Salvadorans with "temporary protected status" have until September 9th of 2019 to leave the United States or face deportation.
The program was put in place to help Salvadorans temporarily when El Salvador was hit by natural disaster in the 1990s.

Hoping that changes and long-term fix can happen

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