DHS extends deportation reprieve for over 100,000 Ukrainians and Sudanese

The Department of Homeland Security announced that more than 100,000 people from Ukraine and Sudan currently in the United States will retain protection from deportation after their Temporary Protected Status (TPS) was set to expire on October 19. This extension is temporary, and DHS stated that a formal announcement regarding their status will be made at an appropriate time.

The TPS extension covers approximately 101,000 Ukrainians and 1,800 Sudanese, allowing them to stay in the U.S. without immediate risk of deportation. However, DHS did not specify how long this protection will last or when a final decision will be communicated.

While DHS did not clarify whether those covered can continue to hold work permits, TPS generally permits individuals to work legally while their protections are active. This decision follows a recent pattern where the administration has extended protections without providing long-term solutions or clear timelines.

Yuriy Boyechko, CEO of Hope For Ukraine, a nonprofit assisting Ukrainians in the U.S., criticized the announcement as a temporary fix that fails to address the underlying issue. He called for the U.S. to establish a permanent residency pathway for these individuals, emphasizing that conditions in Ukraine remain unsafe for return.

Previously, the administration has ended TPS for over one million people from 13 countries but recently maintained protections for nearly 200,000 Salvadorans whose TPS was also set to expire. This latest extension continues that trend of temporary reprieves without permanent resolutions.