In a move that could potentially delay President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to crack down on immigration, the Biden administration extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 900,000 immigrants from Venezuela, El Salvador, Ukraine and Sudan. Has given. The decision, announced just days before Trump’s inauguration, grants these individuals immunity from deportation and access to work permits for an additional 18 months.
The move is seen as a strategic effort to protect the rights of vulnerable immigrants who are living and working in the US under TPS. By expanding the program, the Biden administration is effectively putting up a temporary barrier against any potential efforts by the Trump administration to eliminate or significantly alter the program.
TPS has become a controversial issue, with Republicans arguing that it is provided too generously to too many foreigners, and that it attracts immigrants to come to the US illegally. However, the program has been aggressively expanded under Biden, with more than 1 million people from 17 countries currently living in the US under TPS.
The extension of TPS is important, especially for Venezuelans, given the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the country. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) cited the “inhumane” government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who was sworn in for a third term on Friday, as justification for the extension.
Countries affected by TPS expansion:
– Venezuela: The extension will benefit more than 600,000 Venezuelans, based on the “humanitarian emergency” the country is facing due to the political and economic crises under the Maduro regime.
– El Salvador: More than 230,000 Salvadorans have been protected under the program, which was first expanded to the country in 2001 after a series of earthquakes.
– Ukraine: The extension will benefit approximately 100,000 people in Ukraine, based on the ongoing conflict in the region.
– Sudan: 1,900 individuals in Sudan will also benefit from the extension.
The TPS program was established as part of the Immigration Act of 1990 under President George H.W. Bush. Its purpose is to provide protection to aliens already in the United States from deportation amid political conflict, natural disasters, or armed conflict in their home countries.
