US Grants Reprieve to Over 100,000 Ukrainians and Sudanese

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has provided a temporary reprieve from deportation for over 100,000 individuals from Ukraine and Sudan whose right to remain in the United States was set to expire. The announcement offers a short-term extension, preventing immediate deportation for these populations.

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) was scheduled to end on October 19 for approximately 101,000 Ukrainians and 1,800 Sudanese. The DHS stated that an announcement regarding their long-term status would be made at an appropriate time, but until then, those covered by the expiring measures will retain protection. It remains unclear how long this extended protection will last or when a final decision will be rendered. DHS did not confirm whether these individuals would retain their work permits, though TPS generally allows recipients to work while their status is active.

This decision marks a shift in practice, as the Trump administration had previously sought to end TPS for many groups. In a similar, recent move, protections were extended for nearly 200,000 Salvadorans whose TPS was due to expire on September 9, with DHS stating a decision would be made later.

Activists and a bipartisan group of lawmakers had urged the administration to extend TPS for Ukrainians, citing ongoing safety concerns due to the conflict with Russia. Ukraine was first granted TPS in April 2022, following Russia's full-scale invasion. The Biden administration later extended this designation through October 2026. The TPS program for Sudan, established in 1997, has been repeatedly extended by successive administrations due to persistent armed conflict and political instability.

Nonprofit organizations assisting these communities described the extensions as "last-minute patches" and "bandages" that do not address the underlying need for a clear path to permanent residency. They emphasized that returning to Ukraine or Sudan is not safe for these individuals.

The Temporary Protected Status program was created by Congress in 1990. It allows individuals already in the U.S. to remain and work for renewable periods if the Secretary of Homeland Security determines that their home country is unsafe due to natural disaster or civil strife. However, TPS does not provide a pathway to permanent residency.

Critics have argued that administrations have extended TPS protections for years, regardless of conditions in home countries. Federal regulations stipulate that TPS is automatically extended for six months if the secretary does not make a determination at least 60 days before the designation expires.