Biden Extends TPS for Four Countries, Including Ukraine

President Joe Biden has extended the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nearly one million immigrants from El Salvador, Venezuela, Ukraine, and Sudan, allowing them to remain in the United States for an additional 18 months. This decision, announced by the Department of Homeland Security, grants relief to approximately 232,000 Salvadorans, 600,000 Venezuelans, 103,700 Ukrainians, and 1,900 Sudanese. TPS provides legal work authorization and deportation protection but does not offer a pathway to citizenship, necessitating periodic renewals. The extension comes just days before President-elect Donald Trump, who has pledged to crack down on immigration, takes office. Biden's move contrasts sharply with Trump's previous attempts to end TPS, which were often challenged in court. The current extensions underscore the ongoing humanitarian crises in these countries, including political and economic instability in Venezuela and environmental crises in El Salvador.