President Joe Biden’s administration has expanded the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program, now protecting over 860,000 foreign nationals from deportation. This move has sparked debate over the program’s role and effectiveness.
Data from the Congressional Research Service shows that TPS currently shields about 864,000 foreign nationals who would otherwise be considered illegal aliens and subject to deportation. The countries covered under TPS include Afghanistan, Burma, Cameroon, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Venezuela, and Yemen. Additionally, some Palestinians, Liberians, and Hong Kong residents are protected under Deferred Enforced Departure.
The expansion has been particularly influenced by the inclusion of nearly 345,000 Venezuelans, over 200,000 Haitians, more than 180,000 El Salvadorans, over 54,000 Hondurans, and more than 50,000 Ukrainians.
These migrants are predominantly located in Florida (nearly 300,000), Texas (almost 94,000), New York (67,840), and California (67,800).
Breitbart News reported in April that nearly 1.2 million foreign nationals are now eligible for TPS. Initially created under the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1990, TPS aims to protect individuals from countries suffering from extreme conditions such as famine, war, or natural disasters.
Since the Clinton administration, TPS has increasingly been used as a form of quasi-amnesty, with administrations from both parties extending the program for various countries. Critics argue that this continuous renewal transforms a temporary measure into a permanent solution, potentially undermining the integrity of U.S. immigration laws.