Politics
US Extends Temporary Protection for Over 100,000 Ukrainians and Sudanese Amid Expiry of TPS
The Department of Homeland Security announced that more than 100,000 Ukrainians and 1,800 Sudanese currently in the United States will be allowed to remain in the country without immediate risk of deportation. The temporary protected status (TPS) for these groups was set to expire on Monday, but the DHS said an announcement will be made “at the appropriate time.” Until that announcement, the department stated that Ukrainians and Sudanese covered by TPS retain protection. The DHS did not specify how long the extension would last or when a final decision would be made. The agency also did not respond to a question about whether the individuals could keep their work permits, though TPS generally allows work while protections are in effect.
The decision follows a pattern in which the Trump administration has previously ended TPS for more than one million people from 13 countries, including Venezuela, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Afghanistan and Syria. In a recent change, the administration kept TPS in place for nearly 200,000 Salvadorians whose status was set to expire on September 9, stating that a decision would be made at the appropriate time and that those from El Salvador could continue to work and live in the U.S. in the meantime.
Yuriy Boyechko, CEO of Hope For Ukraine, described the government’s announcement as “last‑minute patches” and called for a permanent residency path for the affected people, noting that they cannot safely return to Ukraine. Andrew Arthur, a national‑security and immigration expert at the Center for Immigration Studies, said the government will eventually decide but faces no deadline, and that the extension is simply a temporary measure.
Ukraine was first designated for TPS in April 2022 after Russia’s full‑scale invasion, and the Biden administration extended the designation in January 2025, authorizing an additional 18 months of protection through October 2026. The TPS program for Sudan was established in 1997 and has been extended by successive U.S. administrations due to armed conflict and political instability.
The Monday decision comes two weeks before the midterm elections, when Trump’s hard‑line immigration policies will be tested at the ballot box.
Frequently asked questions
How many Ukrainians and Sudanese are covered by the TPS extension?
More than 100,000 Ukrainians and 1,800 Sudanese.
When did the Biden administration extend Ukraine's TPS and until when?
In January 2025, the Biden administration extended Ukraine's TPS for an additional 18 months, through October 2026.
Does TPS allow work for those covered?
TPS generally allows work while protections are in effect, but DHS did not confirm whether the work permits remain valid for this extension.