New TPS Change for El Salvador

In January 2018, the Trump administration announced the end of TPS (temporary protected status) for citizens of El Salvador.

Today, the administration reversed course, at least in part. El Salvadoran citizens with TPS will be allowed to extend their work permits for “1 year past resolution of litigation for an orderly wind down period” according to USCIS Acting Director Ken Cuccinelli. What litigation is he referring to? There are several suits challenging the removal of TPS protections.

One year post-litigation may not sound like much. It’s not reinstating the program, for example. But it is being celebrated by Salvadoran Foreign Minister Alexandra Hill as offering “breathing room.”

This change comes in the wake of the U.S. agreement with El Salvador regarding Central American migrants signed just last month.

Kudos to the LA Times for seeing the irony inherent in these two events: “The announcement also puts the U.S. in the difficult position of extending a program intended for people fleeing natural disasters or civil unrest, while at the same time in effect designating El Salvador a safe country for asylum seekers.”

-KitJ