President Biden is on a power trip. He’s making insane last-minute decisions.
That’s why Joe Biden has handcuffed Donald Trump right before Trump steps back into office.
Since his coming onto the political scene in 2015, Donald Trump has made the issue of illegal immigration a core part of his focus. The Trump phenomenon just would not have been as big as it is were if not for Donald Trump being the first major figure in modern America to say “enough is enough” with illegal immigration, calling for stronger borders immediately. He single-handedly reshaped the Republican Party’s rhetoric and agenda on illegal immigration. Say what you will about him, but he’s responsible for that.
Establishment bureaucrats and career politicians have been trying to get in his way of being able to secure the border ever since he won his first term in office back in 2016. Today, it’s no different. Even Joe Biden is trying to do what he can to handcuff Donald Trump’s anti-illegal immigration efforts before he leaves office in just a handful of days.
Biden Administration Extends Temporary Protected Status for El Salvadorans Amid Ongoing Environmental Challenges
On Friday, the Biden administration took action to extend protections for approximately 234,000 El Salvadoran nationals living in the United States, granting them an additional 18 months of Temporary Protected Status (TPS). This decision follows the country’s ongoing struggles with severe storms and heavy rainfall that have exacerbated already precarious living conditions for many residents. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed the extension, a move that highlights the administration’s efforts to provide temporary relief for foreign nationals amid the country’s complex immigration landscape.
The extension, which was announced just days before the presidential transition to President-elect Donald Trump, is part of a initiative to extend protections to foreign nationals in the U.S. before Trump, who has expressed a hardline stance on immigration, takes office. Under the new terms, El Salvadorans who qualify for TPS can register to remain in the U.S. until September 9, 2026, offering them temporary relief from deportation.
The Biden administration cited the persistent environmental disasters in El Salvador as the reason for the extension. According to DHS, the decision followed a review of the country’s conditions and consultations with interagency partners. In a statement, DHS explained that the extension was necessary due to the “continued conditions from environmental disasters that resulted in a substantial, but temporary, disruption of living conditions in the affected areas of El Salvador.”
“El Salvador’s extension of TPS is based on geological and weather events, including significant storms and heavy rainfall in 2023 and 2024, that continue to affect areas heavily impacted by the earthquakes in 2001,” the announcement continued. These ongoing environmental challenges have created a situation where returning to El Salvador would pose a danger to its citizens, particularly in areas still recovering from past natural disasters.
El Salvador Temporary Protected Status just extended for another 18 months
TPS designation was going to expire on March 10, 2025
Now ends on September 9, 2026 pic.twitter.com/UhVTtJ6hyo
— Kathleen Bush-Joseph (@KathleenBushJo2) January 10, 2025
Background on Temporary Protected Status
First introduced in 1990, the TPS program is designed to offer temporary deportation relief and work eligibility to foreign nationals from countries that are facing exceptional conditions. These conditions include natural disasters, military conflicts, and other emergencies that make it unsafe for individuals to return to their home country.
El Salvadorans have been recipients of TPS since 2001, when devastating earthquakes caused widespread damage to the country. While TPS is intended to be a temporary measure, it has often been extended due to the ongoing crises in these countries. Currently, there are 17 countries with TPS designations, and the El Salvadoran extension announced on Friday ensures that beneficiaries can remain in the U.S. until 2026.
The Biden administration has already granted TPS to other nationals, including Lebanese citizens in October 2024. As President Biden’s time in office draws to a close, more designations could be announced before he leaves office in January.
The Political Atmosphere of the TPS Extension
The extension of TPS for El Salvadorans comes at a time of heightened political tension surrounding immigration policy. A number of Democratic lawmakers have urged the Biden administration to finalize these extensions before President Trump resumes office. They view the final days of the Biden presidency as a “critical window” to secure protections before the incoming administration, which has promised a significant crackdown on illegal immigration.
Trump, who previously sought to end TPS for El Salvador in 2020, has indicated that he would take action to revoke the program if he returns to office. His administration’s attempts to end TPS for several countries, including El Salvador, were blocked by the courts, but the former president has vowed to enact even more stringent immigration measures during his second term, including potentially dismantling the TPS program entirely.
NEW: The Biden Administration extends TPS for Venezuelan migrants.@realDonaldTrump has said he is open to removing TPS for certain migrants when it comes to deportations: pic.twitter.com/muGV7TSSu8
— Ali Bradley (@AliBradleyTV) January 10, 2025
One common criticism of the TPS program is that it has become a long-term solution, despite its intended temporary nature. Salvadorans, for example, have had protected status for over two decades, leading some to argue that the program’s extensions have made it an unofficial form of long-term legal residency. This critique is a part of the real concern that TPS, despite its temporary designation, is not being used in accordance with its original purpose.
Additionally, there is some public confusion about what TPS actually entails. While the program offers deportation protections and work eligibility, it does not confer legal status to recipients. This distinction was highlighted during a recent “fact check” on CBS, when host Margaret Brennan attempted to suggest that TPS could be equated with legalization. Immigration experts have consistently clarified that TPS is a temporary status and does not grant individuals a path to citizenship or permanent legal status.
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
