SILVER SPRING, Maryland — On June 13, the Department of Homeland Security announced its decision to rescind the 2017 and 2018 terminations of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designations for El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua and extend the TPS designations for those countries for 18 months.

“This is welcome relief for so many families aided by our network,” said Anna Gallagher, CLINIC's executive director. “Current beneficiaries of TPS from these countries — around 300,000 people — will continue to receive life-saving protection from deportation. However, newer arrivals will not benefit from this extension and thus will continue to live in fear. For the sake of justice, and as people of faith, we urge the administration to consider the thousands of men, women, and children who are equally in need of protection who arrived at a later date. Redesignating these countries for TPS will ensure they can remain in safety as well.”

In addition to redesignation for these countries, CLINIC urges the Biden administration to redesignate TPS for Venezuela and to newly designate Mali, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Mauritania, Lebanon, Sudan, Pakistan, and Turkey for TPS status.

“Through TPS, the United States has a legal pathway to offer generous protection to those fearing return to their home countries,” continued Gallagher. “We have the resources and capacity. It’s time we lived up to our potential.”