This post was last updated Mar. 31

Last year, several countries lost their TPS (Temporary Protected Status) designation. By early October 2018, a lawsuit against wrongful termination of TPS made it to a federal judge, who ruled in favor of TPS which immediately extended TPS for two countries’ whose beneficiaries were about to lose legal protection from deportation: Sudan and Nicaragua. The ruling was appealed and a final decision on TPS was not yet available.

What does 2019 mean for TPS?

A final decision on the future of TPS will be made. The countries of South Sudan, Syria, Somalia, and Yemen have active TPS, so their status in the program is still in effect. TPS, however, is a conditional program that is renewed on a case-by-case.

Six countries are currently at risk of losing their designation. El Salvador, Haiti, and Honduras are the three countries with the most TPS beneficiaries. If a decision is not made by April 2019, some of these countries will receive conditional extensions.

News Headlines

TPS made mainstream news last year because of program terminations. Together with DACA, TPS is at the center of negotiations in Congress to provide young people (“Dreamers”) and TPS beneficiaries continued protection. On January 25, President Trump ended a 35 day partial government shutdown. Early February, Honduran and Nepali immigrants took their TPS case to the federal government.

A federal judge in New York is currently reviewing the future of Haiti’s TPS designation. On February 28, due to the federal court case filed by El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Sudan TPS holders, the Department of Homeland Security extended TPS through January 2020 for those countries.

Here are news headlines specific to TPS:

• [Mar. 1] [MI] Nessel joins immigration fights against Trump administration
• [Mar. 1] Trump Administration Forced to Extend TPS Protections to More than 250,000 Immigrants Due to Court Injunction
• [Mar. 1] [MA, MD] Anxiety for US-born Kids of Families Facing Deportation
• [Mar. 4] Big labor renews calls for immigration reform
• [Mar. 5] TPS Workers Are Rebuilding States Devastated by Natural Disasters
• [Mar. 5] Trump immigration policy under scrutiny at four simultaneous congressional hearings
• [Mar. 6] Nielsen testifies: Five things you need to know
• [Mar. 7] Bishop urges Congress to pass protections for Dreamers, temporary protected status holders
• [Mar. 7] Top Democrats, including 2020 contenders, urge Trump to back protections for Venezuelans
• [Mar. 8] Many immigrants with Temporary Protected Status face uncertain future in U.S.
• [Mar. 12] Democrats introduce new bill to protect Dreamers and TPS recipients
• [Mar. 12] Dream and Promise Act Provides Needed Solution for Immigrant Families
• [Mar. 12] Temporary Protected Status Extended for South Sudan
• [Mar. 12] House Democrats introduce bill to offer 2.5 million immigrants chance at permanent status
• [Mar. 12] Trump administration puts end of TPS on hold for Hondurans and Nepalis
• [Mar. 13] Inside El Salvador’s battle with violence, poverty, and US policy
• [Mar. 13] Fate of Venezuelans in US has Trump priorities in conflict
• [Mar. 16] One Dept. Limited Their Protections. Another Singled Out Their Countries for Rights Violations.
• [Mar. 21][Video] Protecting Dreamers and TPS Holders: An Urgent Situation for America’s Classrooms
• [Mar. 22] [FL] Florida Democrats push Trump, Congress on Venezuela aid, refugee protections
• [Mar. 24] Bipartisan plan for immigrants’ legal status, border security
• [Mar. 25] The Dream and Promise Act is the only hope left for Liberians abandoned by the Trump administration
• [Mar. 27] [DC] Van Hollen, Cardin, Feinstein, Kaine Introduce Legislation to Protect TPS Recipients
• [Mar. 28] Trump extends deportation protections for Liberians
• [Mar. 29] What It’s Like to Live in the Immigration Limbo of Trump’s America