Thursday, November 28

Pressure grows on Biden for TPS for four countries; this week they could extend re-registration periods

Civil organizations pressure Biden to improve TPS conditions.
Civil organizations pressure Biden to improve TPS conditions.

Photo: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/Getty Images

jesus garcia

Civil organizations and now the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) are pressing President Joe Biden to extend the times for re-registration and reassignment to Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal and Nicaragua.

As reported by The Hill, this week the CHC would send a letter to President Biden to increase the pressure, but information obtained by this newspaper confirms that the “informal” request occurred last week, so the letter to the White House will be part of the protocol.

A source that is part of the team that collaborates in the negotiations with the White House confirmed that this week the Biden Administration could announce the extension to TPS.

“We are listening […] that possibly this week the time for TPS re-registration for these four countries will be extended,” said the source, who preferred to remain anonymous as he was not authorized to disclose such information.

He added that it was last week when the members of the CHC met with several activists, which immediately generated two telephone calls: one to the Department of Homeland Security and another to the White House, where the formal request was made and registered in the letter sent this week.

“[Se está] requesting that the re-registration time be extended and at the same time [los miembros del CHC] They took the opportunity to insist that the administration must give new TPS designations for El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal and Nicaragua, and to any country that meets the merits,” the source indicated.

The extension of re-registrations is urgent for the natives of El Salvador, since September 10 is the deadline for those immigrants with TPS to reapply for protection.

Meanwhile, the reassignments would allow the Office of Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to accept new applications for registration to TPS, a program that prevents the deportation of a person and grants them Employment Authorization for a limited time.

In the CHC letter, legislators tell the Biden Administration that the 60-day period for re-registration is short, because beneficiaries have not been correctly informed, who believe that renewal is automatic.

Some of the work permits expire in June 2024, but if the person does not re-register, they will lose the benefit and their immigration protection.