The Trump administration announced Monday that it will terminate Temporary Protected Status for El Salvador.

Key Points:

  • Roughly 260,000 Salvadorans will be allowed to remain in the United States until Sept. 9, 2019, at which time they will be subject to removal (deportation).
  • Salvadorans with TPS who want to extend their benefits until Sept. 9, 2019 must apply for an extension of TPS and an employment authorization document.
  • The Department of Homeland Security has not yet said when the re-registration period will open and close. This information is expected to be published in the Federal Register soon.

Background: The U.S. government granted temporary protections to Salvadorans in 2001 after two earthquakes killed more than 1,000 people. Since then, the designation has been renewed 11 times. In 2016, the Obama administration cited drought, poverty and gang violence as reasons to keep the temporary protections in place. DHS said in a statement Monday that the agency’s secretary, Kirstjen M. Nielsen, decided to end TPS for El Salvador based on “careful consideration of available information, including recommendations received as part of an inter-agency consultation process.” The Trump administration has already terminated TPS protections for Nicaragua, Haiti and Sudan, and a decision on Honduras is expected in July.

BAL Analysis: DHS is advising Salvadorans with TPS to prepare for their departure from the U.S. or apply for other types of visas during the transition period. BAL will continue to monitor the Federal Register for information about when the re-registration period to extend TPS benefits will open.

This alert has been provided by the BAL U.S. Practice group. For additional information, please contact berryapplemanleiden@bal.com.

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