USCIS Provides Reprieve for El Salvador TPS Beneficiaries Amidst Uncertainty
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued a short notice indicating that Salvadoran Temporary Protected Status (TPS) beneficiaries will retain protection, including work authorization, despite the September 9 expiration date passing without a formal extension announcement. El Salvador has been designated for TPS since 2001, and the Biden administration had previously extended the designation for 18 months, from March 10, 2025, through September 9, 2026. As the deadline approached, employers and TPS holders were uncertain about their status, as federal employment verification guidance still indicated termination. USCIS's notice, posted on its TPS pages, states, "An announcement on El Salvador’s TPS will be made at the appropriate time. Until such announcement is made, Salvadoran individuals present in the U.S. under TPS retain protection including work authorization." However, USCIS has not provided a new TPS expiration date or updated instructions for employers regarding Form I-9.