TPS Extensions for El Salvador, Sudan, Ukraine, and Venezuela

January 10, 2025

Today, January 10, 2025, the outgoing Biden Administration took steps to extend the Temporary Protected Status designation for approximately 937,600 people. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a series of news releases to announce the extensions of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvador, Sudan, Ukraine, and Venezuela for a period of 18 months.

El Salvador

The TPS designation for El Salvador will be extended through September 9, 2026, and will allow approximately 232,000 TPS beneficiaries to retain their status. Nationals of El Salvador (or individuals without nationality who last habitually resided in El Salvador) meeting the eligibility criteria who have been continuously residing in the United States since February 13, 2001, or before, may be eligible for TPS under this designation. The Federal Register notice is scheduled to be published on January 17, 2025, and will contain additional information on eligibility, timelines, and procedures. DHS will also automatically extend the validity of certain Employment Authorization Documents through March 9, 2026, in an effort to reduce gaps in employment authorization.

Sudan

The TPS designation for Sudan will be extended through October 19, 2026, and will allow approximately 1,900 TPS beneficiaries to retain their status. Nationals of Sudan (or individuals without nationality who last habitually resided in Sudan) meeting the eligibility criteria who have been continuously residing in the United States since August 16, 2023, or before, may be eligible for TPS under this designation. DHS notes that the Federal Register notice is “soon-to-be-published” and will contain additional information on eligibility, timelines, and procedures. DHS also notes that it will automatically extend the validity of Employment Authorization Documents previously issued under Sudan’s TPS designation by 12 months.

Ukraine

The TPS designation for Ukraine will be extended through October 19, 2026, and will allow approximately 103,700 TPS beneficiaries to retain their status. Ukrainian nationals (or individuals without nationality who last habitually resided in Ukraine) meeting the eligibility criteria who have been continuously residing in the United States since August 16, 2023, or before, may be eligible for TPS under this designation. DHS notes that the Federal Register notice is “soon-to-be-published” and will contain additional information on eligibility, timelines, and procedures. DHS also notes that it will automatically extend the validity of Employment Authorization Documents previously issued under Ukraine’s TPS designation by 12 months.

Venezuela

The TPS designation for Venezuela will be extended through October 2, 2026, and will allow approximately 600,000 TPS beneficiaries to retain their status. Venezuelan nationals (or individuals without nationality who last habitually resided in Venezuela) meeting the eligibility criteria who have been continuously residing in the United States since July 31, 2023, or before, may be eligible for TPS under this designation. The TPS re-registration will run from the date the TPS extension is published in the Federal Register through September 10, 2025. DHS will also automatically extend the validity of certain Employment Authorization Documents through April 2, 2026, in an effort to reduce gaps in employment authorization. DHS notes that the Federal Register notice is “soon-to-be-published” and will contain additional information on eligibility, timelines, and procedures.

TPS Overview

A country may be designated for TPS when the Secretary of Homeland Security determines that conditions in the country temporarily prevent the country’s nationals from returning safely. The Secretary may designate a country for TPS due to temporary conditions such as: ongoing armed conflict, an environmental disaster, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions. Once a country has been designated for TPS, individuals who are TPS beneficiaries or eligible for TPS are not removable from the United States and can obtain employment authorization and/or travel authorization. Individuals granted TPS also may not be detained on the basis of their immigration status. TPS applicants undergo national security and public safety screenings in the original application process and during each re-registration.

Please contact the immigration attorney at LHSCD working on your case with any questions about these TPS designation extensions. To set up a consultation with one of our attorneys, please fill out our Consultation Request Form.

Written by: Andrew A. Fuller

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TAGS: Department of Homeland Security, El Salvador, Sudan, TPS, Ukraine, Venezuela