According to the Los Angeles Times, the Trump Administration recently extended temporary protected status (TPS) for an estimated 200,000 Salvadorans living in the U.S. This extension of TPS allows these individuals to continue legally residing in the U.S., at least until January 2022, according to the Salvadoran Foreign Minister. When individuals have TPS, they have protection from deportation and the ability to work legally in the U.S.
Ken Cuccinelli, Acting Director of the Department of Homeland Security, downplayed the extension, stating that it was only extending work permits for Salvadorans for one year past the resolution of ongoing litigation, not extending TPS. The federal government also denied that the TPS reprieve had any connection to its resumption of financial aid to El Salvador or the recent signing of an asylum agreement with that country. According to this agreement, El Salvador must take steps to restrain asylum-seekers and immigrants from proceeding to the U.S.-Mexican border.
Following the Trump Administration’s move to end TPS for Salvadorans in 2018, the American Civil Liberties Union filed suit. A federal district court in California blocked the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from terminating TPS for Salvadorans and natives of some other countries. Ironically, the federal government has extended TPS for Salvadorans voluntarily, even though it has deemed the country safe for other immigrants seeking asylum. TPS traditionally was designed to assist immigrants fleeing civil war or environmental disasters. Most Salvadorans who have TPS came to the U.S. in the 1980s, when a widespread civil war was occurring in the country. That war came to a stalemate in 1992.
The immigration lawyers of Peek Law Group have handled the cases of countless individuals who are facing immigration problems. We are here to protect your rights and advocate on your behalf. As a result, we will strive to get the best outcome possible in your case. Call our office today at (512) 399-2311 to set up an appointment with our immigration attorneys.