Biden’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced Friday that approximately 600,000 Venezuelans and over 200,000 Salvadorans living in the United States can legally remain in the country for another 18 months.
The decision comes just days before President-elect Donald Trump takes office, bringing promises of hardline immigration policies that could reshape the program’s future.
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The extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for both Venezuelans and Salvadorans reflects the Biden administration’s expansive use of the program, which now shields around 1 million individuals from deportation, according to the Associated Press. TPS grants legal residency and work authorization but does not provide a pathway to citizenship.
DHS cited ongoing humanitarian crises in both countries as the rationale for the extensions:
- Venezuela: The extension was attributed to the severe political and economic crises under President Nicolás Maduro’s regime. Maduro recently began a controversial third term as president amid international condemnation.
- El Salvador: DHS pointed to environmental conditions, including heavy rains and storms in 2023 and 2024, which have compounded challenges in areas already devastated by earthquakes in 2001.
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Congress established TPS in 1990 to protect people from deportation to countries experiencing natural disasters, armed conflict, or other extraordinary conditions. Beneficiaries receive renewable work permits and legal status in increments of up to 18 months.
While the Biden administration has broadly expanded TPS, the program faces an uncertain future under Trump, who previously sought to curtail it. During his first term, Trump attempted to end TPS for El Salvador, only to be blocked by the courts. Trump and incoming Vice President J.D. Vance, have suggested scaling back TPS and other temporary protections as part of broader plans to enforce mass deportations.
Immigration advocates have pushed for broader TPS protections and additional extensions for countries like Guatemala and Ecuador. Felipe Arnoldo Díaz of the National TPS Alliance called the Salvadoran extension “a small victory” but expressed concern about the program’s long-term future.
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The extension for Salvadorans now lasts until September 9, 2026, while the status for Venezuelans remains in place through the newly added 18-month period. Both groups face uncertainty as Trump’s administration begins, particularly with plans to review and potentially restrict TPS.
Trump has argued that TPS renewals have become de facto permanent residency, bypassing Congress’s intent and creating what critics describe as a long-term amnesty program.
His transition team has signaled that addressing TPS will be part of broader immigration policy reviews.
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DHS Extends Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans and Salvadorans as Trump Prepares to Take Office