Mayorkas extends deportation shield for eye-popping number of immigrants ahead of Trump admin

The Biden administration recently announced the extension of deportation protections for hundreds of thousands of foreign nationals from countries like El Salvador, Venezuela, Sudan, and Ukraine. These protections, known as Temporary Protected Status (TPS), offer protection from deportation and work permits for nationals living in the U.S. from countries deemed unsafe for them to return to.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) cited environmental disasters in El Salvador, political and economic crises in Venezuela, political instability in Sudan, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine with Russia as reasons for extending TPS for these countries. The extensions will last for an additional 18 months beyond their current expiration dates.

The move to extend TPS for these countries will affect approximately 600,000 nationals from Venezuela, 232,000 from El Salvador, 103,000 from Ukraine, and about 1,900 from Sudan. The extensions for Venezuela and El Salvador will run until October 2026 and September 2026, respectively. These extensions could complicate efforts by the Trump administration to deport illegal immigrants from these countries, especially given the presence of criminal gangs like MS-13 in El Salvador and the rise of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

Individuals applying for TPS undergo a vetting process and are ineligible if they have a felony conviction or multiple misdemeanors. The Biden administration has faced pressure from Senate Democrats and immigration activists to extend TPS protections ahead of the incoming Trump administration, which has promised to crack down on illegal immigration and increase deportations.

While the Trump administration sought to reduce the number of countries designated for TPS, the Biden administration has taken a broader approach, designating or redesignating countries like Venezuela, Afghanistan, and Haiti for TPS. Currently, there are 17 countries designated for TPS.

Both President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance have expressed intentions to scale back TPS once in office, particularly for Haiti. Republicans in Congress have also introduced bills to restrict the program, such as requiring Congressional approval for TPS extensions and limiting them to 12-month terms.

In conclusion, the decision to extend TPS for countries like El Salvador, Venezuela, Sudan, and Ukraine reflects the Biden administration’s commitment to providing protection for foreign nationals facing unsafe conditions in their home countries. The debate over TPS highlights the ongoing challenges and complexities of immigration policy in the United States.