The Biden administration announced on Friday an extension of temporary deportation protections for hundreds of thousands of immigrants residing in the United States, as communities prepare for the incoming Trump administration.
The protections, known as Temporary Protected Status (TPS), are granted to individuals who would face severe hardship if deported to countries affected by armed conflict or natural disasters.
These safeguards are available only to those already in the United States and have been implemented by both Republican and Democratic administrations.
The latest extension applies to immigrants from El Salvador, Sudan, Ukraine, and Venezuela, shielding them from deportation for an additional 18 months.
This extension begins when the current protections expire, allowing recipients to remain in the U.S. with work permits during this period.
In his previous term, Trump attempted to terminate TPS for El Salvador and other nations but encountered legal challenges that blocked the move.
Immigrant advocates and Democratic lawmakers have urged the Biden administration to take stronger measures to protect immigrants in the U.S. who risk losing their legal status and work authorization under a new Trump presidency.
Without the extension, protections for El Salvador, Ukraine, Venezuela, and Sudan were set to lapse in the spring, with renewal decisions expected before Trump’s inauguration.
By law, the Secretary of Homeland Security must determine whether to extend or terminate a country’s TPS designation at least 60 days before its expiration, based on current conditions in that country.
The Department of Homeland Security estimates that the decision affects approximately 232,000 Salvadorans, 1,900 Sudanese, 104,000 Ukrainians, and 600,000 Venezuelans.
