MIAMI (AP) 鈥� More than 200,000 Salvadorans who have lived more than two decades in the United States can legally remain another 18 months, the Homeland Security Department said Friday in one of the Biden administration's final acts on immigration policy.
The decision is the Biden administration's latest in support of Temporary Protected Status, which to cover about 1 million people. TPS faces an uncertain future under Donald Trump, who tried to sharply curtail its use during his first term as president.
Congress created TPS in 1990 to prevent deportations to countries suffering from natural disasters or civil strive, giving people authorization to work in increments of up to 18 months at a time.
About 1 million immigrants from 17 countries are protected by TPS, including people from Venezuela, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Afghanistan, Sudan and Lebanon. Salvadorans are one of the largest beneficiaries, having won TPS in 2001 after earthquakes rocked the Central American country.
Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, suggested they would scale back the use of TPS and policies granting temporary status as they pursue mass deportations. During his first administration, Trump ended TPS for El Salvador but was
The money that Salvadorans send home is a major economic support for the Central American country, potentially complicating efforts to end TPS for an ally of the U.S. Trump has had warm relations with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, who worked closely with him on preventing illegal immigration to the U.S. Remittances amount to about $7.5 billion a year.
Bukele is immensely popular, largely because his heavy-handed security efforts have eviscerated the country鈥檚 street gangs.
In March 2022, El Salvador鈥檚 gangs killed 62 people in hours, prompting its congress to allow a for Bukele to crack down, suspending some constitutional rights and granting more police powers. More than 83,000 people have been arrested since, most jailed without due process.
El Salvador ended 2024 with . In 2015, El Salvador had 6,656 homicides, making it one of the world鈥檚 deadliest countries.
For Jos茅 Palma, a 48 year-old Salvadoran who has lived in the U.S. since 1998, the extension means he can still work legally in Houston. He is the only in his family with temporary status; his four children were born U.S. citizens and his wife is a permanent resident. If TPS was not extended he could be deported and separated from the rest of the family.
鈥淚t brings me peace of mind, a breath of fresh air. That鈥檚 18 more months of being protected,鈥� Palma said. 鈥淚t offers me stability鈥�.
Palma, who works as an organizer at a day laborer organization, sends about $400 a month to his 73-year-old mother, who is retired and does not have any income.
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Associated Press writers Marcos Alem谩n in San Salvador, El Salvador, contributed to this report.
Gisela Salomon, The Associated Press
