The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that more than 300,000 immigrants from four countries will benefit from an extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
The extension will last for 18 months and can be applied for by citizens of Honduras, El Salvador, Nepal and Nicaragua who already have TPS. With this measure, current beneficiaries of the provisional immigration status may renew their Employment Authorization Documents (EAD). The DHS announced that the eligibility criteria, deadlines and procedures to apply will be published in the Federal Register.
The measure rescinds actions taken by the Trump administration that ended TPS for immigrants from these countries that took effect in January 2020. The DHS released a statement:
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the rescission of the previous Administration's terminations of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designations for El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua and the extension of TPS for these countries for 18 months. Today's actions are relevant to litigation challenging the now rescinded terminations (...) As always, DHS closely monitors conditions around the world to assess whether new TPS designations are warranted.
How many immigrants will benefit from the extension?
According to the text, DHS had previously extended "the validity of TPS-related documentation for current beneficiaries who are citizens of El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua until June 30, 2024." More than 330,000 immigrants will benefit from the extension:
- 239,000 Salvadoran immigrants will benefit from its extension, which will be valid from September 10, 2023 to March 9, 2025.
- Some 76,000 Honduran citizens will be able to apply for the measure and the extension will be from January 6, 2024 to July 5, 2025,
- 14,500 immigrants from Nepal can obtain an extension from December 25, 2023 to June 24, 2025.
- 4,000 Nicaraguan immigrants will be able to re-register to renew their status, which will be valid from January 6, 2024 to July 5, 2025.
The Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, said in the press release that this Temporary Protected Status extension will provide "continued security and protection for current beneficiaries who are citizens of El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal and Nicaragua. who are already present in the United States and are unable to return due to the impacts of environmental disasters. We will continue to offer them support through this temporary form of humanitarian aid."
