For over 170,000 Salvadorans living in the United States, September 9, 2026, was expected to be a significant date as their Temporary Protected Status (TPS) was set to expire. If the Trump Administration chose not to renew it, these individuals would lose their legal right to remain in the U.S. Julia, a 37-year-old Salvadoran who has lived in the U.S. since she was ten, expressed her anxiety about the situation, stating, "I’m literally buying luggage."
At the beginning of Trump's second term, more than one million immigrants from 17 countries held TPS, which allows them to live and work legally in the U.S. without the threat of deportation. TPS was established in 1990 with the intent that it would not become a permanent status, requiring periodic renewals until conditions in the recipients' home countries improved. El Salvador was the first country designated for TPS in 1990, following a civil war. Over the years, other countries received TPS designations due to various disasters, with both Republican and Democratic administrations extending these protections.
Eva, a Salvadoran mother who arrived in the U.S. in 1995, received TPS in 2001. She described how TPS changed her life, allowing her to obtain a Social Security number and a driver's license, which made her feel visible in society. She noted that living with a temporary status made it challenging to plan for the future.
In 2018, Trump attempted to cancel TPS for Salvadorans, affecting approximately 193,000 American children with Salvadoran TPS holders as parents. Legal advocacy groups successfully blocked the cancellation, but Eva faced further challenges when her husband was deported. As the September 9 deadline approached, Eva had to discuss difficult options with her daughter regarding their future.
When September 9 arrived, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a vague statement indicating that an announcement regarding Salvadoran TPS would be made at an appropriate time, and that individuals under TPS would retain their protections. Reports indicated that a memo to terminate TPS had been prepared earlier but was not released, suggesting possible White House intervention.
Trump administration officials have expressed opposition to TPS, and recent Supreme Court rulings have allowed for the cancellation of such statuses. The administration had previously ended TPS for around 350,000 Haitians and for individuals from other countries.
The delay in announcing a decision for Salvadorans has raised questions. Mark Krikorian, head of an anti-immigration think tank, suggested that the White House may have decided to postpone the cancellation. The Salvadoran government, led by President Nayib Bukele, reportedly advocated for more time, considering the economic impact of deporting nearly 200,000 Salvadorans.
U.S. advocacy groups also lobbied for an extension, highlighting the economic reliance on TPS holders in various sectors, including construction. The Washington metropolitan area has a large Salvadoran population, and many construction workers are TPS holders.
Despite the administration's mixed signals, the DHS updated its website to clarify that Salvadorans with TPS should retain their work protections pending further announcements. This clarification was seen as unusual without a formal decision being made.
The implications of the current delay remain uncertain. If no decision is made to terminate TPS at least two months before the expiration deadline, the program is expected to automatically extend for six months. However, the lack of public clarification on the situation has created ambiguity. Legal teams at DHS are reportedly exploring ways to end TPS sooner, indicating that the administration's intent to cancel TPS remains.
Source: The New Yorker