President Joe Biden extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for immigrants from Venezuela, El Salvador, and Ukraine on Friday, shielding nearly a million people from deportation for up to 18 months. The move comes just 10 days before Biden leaves office.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, the extension affects 234,000 Salvadorans, 600,000 Venezuelans, and 100,000 Ukrainians. TPS, created in 1990, allows individuals from designated countries facing crises, such as conflict or natural disasters, to remain in the U.S. temporarily.
Carlos Argueta, a Salvadoran tax preparer in Houston, welcomed the news, calling it “one last opportunity” under Biden’s tenure. Similarly, Ana, 69, a janitor in Houston who has held TPS since 2001, expressed relief but fears potential revocation under incoming President Donald Trump.
During his first term, Trump sought to end TPS for six countries, including El Salvador, but was blocked by courts. Trump’s incoming border czar, Tom Homan, has signaled possible cuts to the program.
Advocates warn that ending TPS could destabilize families. José Palma, a coordinator with the National TPS Alliance, said, “The impact of losing TPS will not only be on myself but on the family,” noting his four U.S.-born children.
For Salvadoran hotel worker Walter Martínez in Las Vegas, Biden’s decision offers temporary relief but leaves uncertainty about the future. “I don’t know how much time he’s going to give us,” he said.
Currently, 17 countries hold TPS designations.
