Washington, DC – Late yesterday, the Biden Administration announced via the Federal Register that beneficiaries of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designations for El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Sudan and Haiti that are at issue in litigation can retain their status for an additional 18 months. In October, settlement talks ended in the Ramos v. Mayorkas lawsuit, meaning that the TPS status for immigrants from Nepal, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua (which have not been redesignated) was set to expire at the end of this year because President Trump had tried to eliminate it. Without further action from the Biden Administration, hundreds of thousands of immigrants who have been living and working in the U.S. for decades would have lost status and become deportable.
While the Administration did extend TPS for these countries, the Administration did not redesignate TPS for these countries, which means anyone who arrived since TPS was granted is not eligible.
The following is a statement from Vanessa Cárdenas, Executive Director of America’s Voice:
“Extending TPS for these countries is a critical and timely first step to protect hundreds of thousands of people and their families who have been living, working and contributing to America for a very long time. The uncertainty for these families and individuals has been lifted, at least for another 18 months. Hundreds of thousands of other people from these countries will not qualify because the President did not redesignate TPS, simply extended it. In light of violence and instability that is driving people to migrate from many of these same countries, that is a mistake and a missed opportunity we hope the President will reconsider.
Congress also needs to act so that families and individuals who have lived and worked here a long time can earn permanent status and an opportunity to apply for citizenship. Living your life in uncertainty, not knowing if your status will be renewed, is bad for families, employers, and entire communities. Many TPS holders and many Dreamers with DACA have lived in the U.S. longer than they have lived in any other country and we should have a permanent and secure path for them to be able to chart their futures so that they can continue to contribute to building strong families and communities.”
