On Friday, the Biden administration renewed deportation relief for 900,000 immigrants from Venezuela, El Salvador, Ukraine, and Sudan, delaying any attempts by President-elect Donald Trump to end these protections. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) extended enrollment in the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program for these nations, granting immigrants a deportation reprieve and access to work permits for an additional 18 months.
Since taking office in 2021, President Joe Biden has significantly increased the number of immigrants eligible for TPS, which now covers over 1 million people from 17 nations. The status is available to individuals whose home countries have experienced natural disasters, armed conflicts, or other extraordinary events.
During his previous term, Trump sought to end most TPS enrollments but was blocked by U.S. courts. As he prepares to return to the White House on January 20, Trump has promised a vast immigration crackdown and is expected to attempt to terminate most TPS protections again.
The Biden administration’s recent actions fell short of more sweeping demands by activists and some Democrats to grant TPS to more recently arrived immigrants and those from other nations. Todd Schulte, president of advocacy group FWD.us, praised the extensions but urged Biden to expand TPS to Nicaragua and other countries.
The largest population in the program consists of 600,000 Venezuelans, who were first granted TPS in 2021 due to high levels of crime and political and economic instability under President Nicolas Maduro, who was sworn in for a third term on Friday.