MIAMI — In a significant move just ten days before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, the Biden administration announced on Friday that it will extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 800,000 immigrants. This extension applies to over 230,000 Salvadorans and 600,000 Venezuelans living in the United States, allowing them to legally remain in the country for an additional 18 months amidst ongoing crises in their home countries.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) indicated that the decision was based on harsh environmental conditions and ongoing humanitarian emergencies in El Salvador and Venezuela. In El Salvador, recent heavy rains and storms have hindered repatriation efforts, while Venezuela continues to grapple with severe political and economic crises under President Nicolás Maduro, whose regime has been widely condemned internationally.

TPS, established by Congress in 1990, provides temporary legal status to individuals from countries facing unsafe conditions due to disasters or conflict. The program was initially created to prevent deportations from countries recovering from crises, and it covers around 1 million immigrants from 17 nations including Afghanistan, Sudan, and Haiti.

The latest extension will allow those benefiting from TPS to renew their work permits and remain in the U.S. during a time when immigrant advocates have expressed increasing concerns about potential deportations under the incoming administration. Supporters of the program argue that TPS holders contribute significantly to the economy, and Salvadorans alone send approximately $7.5 billion in remittances back home annually.

For individuals like José Palma, who has lived in the U.S. since 1998 and has four U.S.-citizen children, this extension provides a crucial lifeline. “It brings me peace of mind, a breath of fresh air. That’s 18 more months of being protected,” Palma said, whose family depends on his ability to work legally.

Critics, however, worry about the future of TPS, particularly with Trump's plans to revamp immigration policy. Trump previously attempted to terminate TPS for El Salvador and other countries during his first term, although judicial interventions stalled those efforts.

Advocates, including Felipe Arnoldo Díaz from the National TPS Alliance, see this extension as a temporary victory but remain vigilant regarding the status of TPS in the future. “This extension is just a small victory,” Díaz stated, calling for protections for other vulnerable populations as the program's expiration dates loom.

The implications of TPS renewals extend beyond individual security; they also represent diplomatic sentiments between the U.S. and Central American nations, further complicated by the intricate political dynamics surrounding immigration policy.

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