News > Immigration In The United States
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Extended!
Posted on Dec 09 2020
On December 9, the Trump administration obeyed a court order and extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nationals of El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sudan through October 4, 2021. This status had been set to expire on January 4, 2021, leaving hundreds of thousands of TPS holders vulnerable to deportation. With their status extended through October 4, 2021, the incoming Biden administration will have time to fulfill its promises to protect these long-term residents of the United States.
The extension of TPS applies only to people who already have that status. It does not open the door for any new applications. The presidents of Guatemala and Honduras have asked that nationals of their countries who do not currently have TPS be allowed to apply for this status, based on the damage done to their countries by Hurricane Eta and Hurricane Iota. The Trump administration has not responded to their requests. President-elect Joe Biden has already committed to designating Venezuela for TPS after he takes office.
TPS holders from these six countries who need to renew their drivers’ licenses or show employers that they are still eligible to continue working may do so. Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) are automatically extended. For proof, TPS holders download a copy of the Federal Register notice, which is attached to this article as a PDF.
In addition to these six countries, four other countries still have TPS designations:
- South Sudan—continuing through 5/2/2022
- Somalia— continuing through 9/17/2021
- Syria— continuing through 3/31/2021
- Yemen— continuing through 9/3/2021
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is an immigration status which provides recipients with an 18-month authorization to live in the United States and also offers a work permit for people from designated foreign countries that have been impacted by a natural disaster, armed conflict, or other extraordinary circumstances. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has the sole authority to designate and then renew or re-designate a country for TPS.
TPS is a temporary status, granted because conditions in the home country prevent safe return of that country’s nationals living in the United States, or because the home country temporarily is unable to accept their return. For some of the designated countries, TPS has been extended year after year when country conditions have not improved, so that many TPS holders have lived in the United States for decades, with strong ties to work, families, and communities.
12092020 TPS extension