MIAMI — The Department of Homeland Security announced on Friday that approximately 600,000 Venezuelans and over 200,000 Salvadorans currently residing in the United States will be granted an extension of their Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for an additional 18 months. This decision arrives just a week before President-elect Donald Trump takes office, a time when he has indicated that he plans to enforce stricter immigration policies.
This action reflects the Biden administration’s continued commitment to expanding TPS, which is now designed to protect roughly 1 million individuals. The future of TPS is uncertain under a Trump administration, which previously sought to limit its application significantly.
The announcement coincides with Nicolas Maduro’s inauguration for another six-year term in Venezuela amid global condemnation, with the Department of Homeland Security citing the severe humanitarian situation in the country caused primarily by the political and economic turmoil linked to Maduro’s rule.
For Salvadorans, the DHS pointed to unfavorable environmental conditions, specifically referencing the heavy rains and storms experienced over the past two years as reasons preventing their safe return.
While TPS allows individuals to live and work in the U.S. legally, it does not provide a pathway to citizenship. Beneficiaries remain dependent on the government for status renewals, leading some conservative critics to argue that this can result in automatic renewals that ignore ongoing conditions in their home countries.
Instituted by Congress in 1990, TPS was designed to prevent the deportation of nationals from countries facing natural disasters or civil unrest, granting temporary work authorization in 18-month increments.
Currently, TPS protects about 1 million immigrants from 17 nations, including Venezuela, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Afghanistan, Sudan, and Lebanon. Salvadorans are among the most significant groups benefiting, having initially received TPS in 2001 following devastating earthquakes in their homeland.
The TPS for Salvadorans was originally set to expire in March 2025 but has now been extended until September 9, 2026. Trump, alongside his running mate JD Vance, previously hinted at a diminishing use of TPS as part of his broader objective to implement mass deportations. During his first term, Trump attempted to terminate TPS for El Salvador but faced legal challenges that halted that effort.
In extending TPS for the current 234,000 Salvadoran beneficiaries, the DHS reiterated that geological and weather-related events were key factors, noting that severe storms and heavy rainfall in 2023 and 2024 continued to disrupt regions still recovering from the prior earthquakes.
In recent months, advocates have intensified their calls for the Biden administration to consider TPS extensions for those already eligible and to establish protections for individuals from additional countries such as Guatemala and Ecuador.
“This extension is a small victory,” remarked Felipe Arnoldo Díaz, an activist from the National TPS Alliance. “However, we remain concerned that there are other countries, such as Venezuela, Nepal, Sudan, Nicaragua, and Honduras, facing impending TPS expirations that are not being prioritized.”
The remittances sent back by Salvadorans play a critical role in supporting their home country’s economy, further complicating any moves to revoke TPS for a country aligned with the United States. Trump had previously fostered close ties with President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador, who collaborated with him on immigration control efforts. These remittances constitute approximately $7.5 billion annually.
Bukele has garnered significant popularity, largely due to his tough security policies that have drastically reduced gang activity in the country. Following a horrific wave of violence in March 2022, when gangs killed 62 individuals in a matter of hours, the Salvadoran legislature granted Bukele a “state of exception,” allowing him to impose certain constitutional limitations and expand police authorities. Since that point, over 83,000 individuals have been arrested, many without due legal process.
By the close of 2024, El Salvador recorded a historically low number of homicides at 114—a remarkable improvement compared to the staggering 6,656 homicides in 2015 that positioned it as one of the deadliest nations in the world.
For José Palma, a 48-year-old Salvadoran resident in the U.S. since 1998, this TPS extension signifies his ability to work legally in Houston. He is the sole family member with temporary status; his four children are U.S. citizens, and his wife holds permanent residency. Without the extension, he faced the possibility of deportation, which would separate him from his family.
“It gives me peace of mind, a breath of fresh air. That’s 18 more months of being protected,” Palma shared. “It offers me stability.” He works as an organizer with a day laborer organization and sends around $400 monthly to support his 73-year-old mother, who is retired and has no income of her own.
