Editor-DN
In a move that could potentially delay President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to crack down on immigration, the Biden administration granted temporary protected status to 900,000 immigrants from Venezuela, El Salvador, Ukraine and Sudan ( TPS) has been extended. The decision, announced just days before Trump’s inauguration, gives those individuals access to deportation reinstatement and 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 extending the program, the Biden administration is effectively putting up a temporary barrier against any potential efforts by the Trump administration to end or significantly change the program.
TPS has become a controversial issue, with Republicans arguing that it has been granted too liberally to too many aliens, and serves as a draw for immigrants to come to the U.S. illegally. is However, the program has been aggressively expanded under Biden, with more than 1 million people from 17 countries currently living in the U.S. under TPS.
Extending TPS to Venezuela is important, especially given the country’s ongoing humanitarian crisis. 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 Extension:
– Venezuela: More than 600,000 Venezuelans will benefit from the extension, which is based on the “humanitarian emergency” the country is facing due to the political and economic crises under the Maduro government.
– 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: About 100,000 Ukrainians will benefit from the expansion, which is based on the ongoing conflict in the region.
– Sudan: 1,900 people from Sudan will also benefit from the extension.
The TPS program was established as part of the Immigration Act of 1990 under President George HW Bush. Its purpose is to protect aliens already in the United States from deportation during periods of political conflict, natural disasters, or armed conflict in their home countries.
