Trump administration extends TPS for Ukraine, Sudan, but uncertainty remains

WASHINGTON (OSV News) — The Trump administration on Oct. 18 extended protections from deportation to people from Ukraine and Sudan, allowing them to continue living legally in the U.S. for now.

Temporary Protected Status grants the U.S. government the power to shield eligible migrants from deportation if they are from countries experiencing dangerous conditions such as war, disaster, or other unrest. The Trump administration has sought to end TPS for several countries, notably Haiti, which is racked by extreme levels of gang violence, but it also recently granted an extension to migrants from El Salvador.

In a written statement provided to OSV News, a spokesperson for DHS confirmed the extension without sharing a rationale. The spokesperson stated an announcement on each country’s TPS “will be made at the appropriate time,” and until such announcements are made, nationals of those countries “present in the U.S. under TPS retain protection.”

David Spicer, director of policy and engagement for migration at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, told OSV News Oct. 19 the conference “is closely monitoring the situation facing people relying on TPS without clarity on the future of their designations.”

“These include hundreds of thousands of Salvadorans, Ukrainians, and Sudanese who are lawfully present in the United States, but face the reality of suddenly having their protection and work authorization revoked,” Spicer said. “The conference continues to urge the administration to abide by the requirements of the TPS statute, to carefully consider conditions in countries of origin and the threats to human life that could come with forcibly repatriating people, and to provide meaningful notice about the future of these designations so that families, employers, and communities can plan accordingly.”

Ashley Feasley, the legal expert in residence at the Immigration Law and Policy Initiative at The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law, told OSV News that while the DHS statement “is a welcome reprieve to TPS holders from Ukraine and Sudan,” it “does little to clarify the growing confusion and uncertainty they face with regards to their lives here in the U.S.”

“In addition to enduring growing conflict and war in their home countries, these individuals must continue to navigate an unpredictable day-to-day existence here in the U.S. given so much recent uncertainty over TPS generally,” Feasley said.

“Congress created TPS and codified it into law and the Executive is required to implement that process accordingly,” she continued. “For both Ukraine and Sudan, it is clear that both countries face ‘ongoing armed conflict,’ as is described in the statute designating TPS. It is absolutely not safe for these individuals to return to their home country.”

Earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to end TPS designation for Haitian and Syrian nationals. Catholic leaders have also urged protection for people from those countries who would be subject to dangerous conditions in their countries of origin.

The Trump administration terminated TPS for Haiti after that ruling, and has since carried out mass deportations of Haitians back to Haiti, which is among the immigration policies the U.S. bishops have criticized, calling it incompatible with their God-given right to life, human dignity, and unity of the family.

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