Global Courant
The Government of the United States extended this Tuesday for 18 more months the temporary protection status (TPS) that allows more than 300,000 migrants from Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Nepal to work in the country and avoid deportation.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the decision for these four nations, whose permanence in the United States was at risk after the Donald Trump Administration (2017-2021) tried to withdraw their immigration benefit.
The permits for each of the four nationalities had different expiration dates in the next six months. With today’s decision, migrants will be able to stay regularly in the country until mid-2025.
Specifically, until January 2025 for Nepalis and Nicaraguans, March for Salvadorans, and July for Hondurans.
The Government of the United States has the power to grant TPS to migrants from countries that suffer an armed conflict, a natural disaster or some extraordinary circumstance that does not allow them to return to their homes.
The Trump Administration attempted to withdraw TPS for various nationalities, including those whose permission was extended today, prompting a series of lawsuits by immigrant defense organizations.
The decision seeks to reverse the previous government’s measures, which they hope will have an effect on the decision of the courts studying the case, the DHS said in a statement.
The main organization in defense of TPS beneficiaries, the National TPS Alliance, believed that the announcement is a victory for the activists’ fight, but criticized the Joe Biden government for not having taken action sooner.
“President Biden should have restored TPS on his first day in office (…) today we have no one to thank except the families who became activists and fought against dehumanization,” said José Palma, spokesman for the organization, in a statement.
Currently, the Government grants TPS to migrants from 16 countries, including Afghanistan, Ukraine, Venezuela and South Sudan, which were included in this program under the Biden Administration.
The Honduran ambassador to the United States, Javier Bu, confirmed that the TPS extension for Hondurans will remain in effect until July 5, 2025.
