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In a move that could potentially delay President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to crack down on immigration, the Biden administration has extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for over 900,000 immigrants from Venezuela, El Salvador, Ukraine, and Sudan. This decision, announced just days before Trump’s inauguration, grants these individuals a deportation reprieve and access to work permits for an additional 18 months.
The move is seen as a strategic effort to safeguard the rights of vulnerable immigrants, who have been living and working in the US under TPS. By extending the program, the Biden administration is effectively putting in place a temporary barrier against any potential attempts by the Trump administration to dismantle or significantly alter the program.
TPS has become a contentious issue, with Republicans arguing that it has been granted too liberally to too many foreigners, and acts as a draw to migrants to come to the US illegally. However, the program has been expanded aggressively under Biden, with over 1 million people from 17 countries currently living in the US under TPS.
The extension of TPS for Venezuelans, in particular, is significant, given the country’s ongoing humanitarian crisis. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) cited the “inhumane” government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who was sworn in for a third term on Friday, as justification for the extension.
Countries affected by the TPS extension:
– Venezuela: Over 600,000 Venezuelans will benefit from the extension, which is based on the “humanitarian emergency” the country continues to face due to political and economic crises under the Maduro regime.
– El Salvador: More than 230,000 Salvadorans are protected under the program, which was first extended to the country in 2001 after a series of earthquakes.
– Ukraine: Approximately 100,000 people from Ukraine will benefit from the extension, which is based on the ongoing conflict in the region.
– Sudan: 1,900 individuals from Sudan will also benefit from the extension.
The TPS program was established under President George H.W. Bush as part of the Immigration Act of 1990. It is intended to provide foreigners already in the US with protections from deportation amid political strife, natural disasters, or armed conflict in their home countries.
