Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Extends and Redesignates TPS for Ukraine
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today announced an extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ukraine for 18 months, from October 20, 2023, through April 19, 2025
On August 18, 2023, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced an extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ukraine for 18 months, from October 20, 2023, through April 19, 2025 as a result of the ongoing arm conflict which prevents individuals from safely returning to their home country.
To provide context, TPS is a temporary immigration status granted to citizens of select nations facing critical issues that render their return unsafe or unfeasible. This protective measure allows individuals to stay in the United States without fearing deportation and also grants them authorization to work during their stay.
Under the new redesignation, an approximate 166,700 Ukrainians are anticipated to become eligible for TPS, encompassing those who were initially included in the Uniting for Ukraine program initiated by the administration.
TPS, introduced through the Immigration Act of 1990, serves as a safety net for nationals of designated nations grappling with ongoing armed conflicts, environmental crises, or exceptional temporary circumstances. This unique status offers not only a work permit but also safeguards against deportation for foreign individuals hailing from the designated countries who are present within the United States at the time of the government's decision to provide TPS.
A country might receive a TPS designation due to one or more of these factors:
- Ongoing armed conflict, such as an civil war, that poses a significant risk to the safety of nationals returning to the country.
- An environmental catastrophe, for instance, an earthquake, cyclone, or pandemic, which leads to a notable but momentary upheaval in living conditions, rendering the foreign state temporarily incapable of adequately managing the return of its citizens.
- Extraordinary and temporary conditions within the foreign state that deter its citizens from safely returning, except when the U.S. government determines that allowing these individuals to remain temporarily in the United States contradicts the U.S. national interest.
