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Washington Extends TPS End-Date for Salvadorans

Victoria Macchi

   WASHINGTON - The U.S. will allow nearly 200,000 Salvadorans shielded
   from deportation under Temporary Protected Status an additional year to
   live and work legally in the country, following high-level negotiations
   between the two countries.

   President of El Salvador Nayib Bukele announced the deal on Monday by
   posting a video on Twitter alongside U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador
   Ronald Johnson.

     DecÃan que era imposible. Que el Gobierno Salvadoreño no podÃa
     hacer nada. Pero nosotros sabÃamos que nuestros aliados no nos
     dejarÃan solos.
     No quisimos compartirlo antes porque podÃamos entorpecer las
     conversaciones.
     Pero después de todo, gracias a Dios, el TPS se logró.
     [1]pic.twitter.com/xKF77r13cS
     -- Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) [2]October 28, 2019

   Speaking in Spanish, Johnson said the agreement was signed in
   Washington and is "an acknowledgement of the achievements and the good
   work" of Bukele's government.

   "They said it was impossible [to extend TPS]. That the Salvadoran
   government couldn't do anything. But we knew our allies wouldn't
   abandon us," Bukele tweeted. "We didn't want to share [the news]
   earlier because it could have hindered talks. But after all, thank God,
   TPS was achieved."

   The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said work permits for
   Salvadorans -- the largest TPS recipient group -- will now be available
   through January 4, 2021.

   According to the DHS statement, TPS holders from El Salvador will also
   be afforded "an additional 365 days after the conclusion of the
   TPS-related lawsuits to repatriate back to their home country."

   DHS has not responded to VOA questions to clarify the court-related
   timeline.

   It remains unclear when the 365 days would begin, since litigation
   remains ongoing, and whether work permits will be reauthorized from
   January 2021 until whenever the final date is.

   The new end-date for TPS for Salvadorans will be January 2022, meaning
   a full two years added to the original end date of January 2020,
   according to a written statement from El Salvador's Ministry of Foreign
   Affairs provided to VOA's Spanish Service, as well as comments from the
   country's foreign minister at the Salvadoran Embassy in Washington on
   Monday.

   El Salvador Foreign Minister Alexandra Hill said in the DHS statement
   that whether the later end-date for TPS is labeled an "extension" is a
   "technicality."

     El Salvador foreign affairs minister about whether agreement is or
     not a [3]#TPS extension: "it's a technicality".
     -- Alejandra Arredondo (@alejarcar) [4]October 28, 2019

   "Salvadorans are keeping their legal status, [and] can [continue]
   working and paying taxes," she told reporters.

   The Trump administration announced an end to TPS for several countries,
   including El Salvador, in early 2018.

   However, ongoing lawsuits and court orders delayed implementation
   slated for September of this year.

   As a result of lawsuits, the end date was then pushed to Jan. 2, 2020,
   before Monday's announcement that another year would be added.

   TPS is a humanitarian status accorded to nationals of some countries
   experiencing extreme hardship, like armed conflict or natural disaster.

   El Salvador came under the program in March 2001 after a series of
   earthquakes rocked the country. Citizens in the U.S. at the time were
   able to apply for TPS.

   ***

   An official from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, one of the
   federal agencies that oversees the TPS program, told VOA that Monday's
   agreement is not considered an extension to TPS, rather "an extension
   of the wind-down period during which work permits for Salvadoran
   nationals with TPS will be valid while they prepare to return to their
   home country."

   Bukele said the agreement would give Salvadorans "extra time to look
   for a permanent solution" and promised to "keep working side by side
   [with the United States] to build a more prosperous El Salvador that is
   better for everyone."

   Since TPS is not an immigration-based policy, there is no pathway to
   citizenship for anyone covered by it. Without the special status,
   individuals must either try the immigration route, for example through
   employment or marriage, or leave the country.

References

   1. https://t.co/xKF77r13cS
   2. https://twitter.com/nayibbukele/status/1188826502936199169?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
   3. https://twitter.com/hashtag/TPS?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
   4. https://twitter.com/alejarcar/status/1188895884030947333?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

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