Fri Jan 10 20:34:13 UTC 2025: **Biden Grants Last-Minute TPS Extension for Immigrants from Four Nations**
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a move likely aimed at countering incoming President Donald Trump’s hardline immigration stance, the Biden administration announced a last-minute 18-month extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for immigrants from El Salvador, Sudan, Ukraine, and Venezuela. The extension, effective immediately, covers an estimated 1 million individuals already enrolled in the program.
The decision, announced Friday, cites ongoing conflicts, humanitarian crises, and natural disasters in the four countries as reasons for continued protection. While lauded by human rights groups who have called for expanded TPS eligibility, the extension only applies to those already registered, falling short of broader advocacy calls.
This action contrasts sharply with Trump’s previous attempts to terminate TPS for various countries, including El Salvador and Sudan, during his first term. While a 2020 court ruling upheld his authority to do so, Biden reversed those decisions upon taking office, expanding TPS eligibility and adding countries like Venezuela and Afghanistan.
The extension is expected to be a significant point of contention with the incoming Trump administration, who has vowed a crackdown on immigration and previously suggested mass deportations. Trump’s past rhetoric, including comments suggesting the removal of TPS recipients, has fueled concerns among immigrant communities. During the recent presidential campaign, Trump reiterated his commitment to stricter immigration policies.
The Biden administration, in its announcement, emphasized the severe conditions in each country justifying the extension, highlighting the ongoing war in Ukraine, devastating natural disasters in El Salvador, the political and economic crisis in Venezuela, and the ongoing genocide in Sudan. Those with TPS will need to re-register to maintain their status. Despite this action, critics point to other instances of the Biden administration maintaining or enacting stricter immigration policies, leading to accusations of inconsistencies in its approach.
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