Temporary Protected Status
What is TPS? TPS, or Temporary Protected Status, allows people from certain countries to live and work in the United States during a humanitarian crisis in their home countries.
See if you qualify to apply for or renew your TPS. Click on your country below for more information:
Afghanistan
On May 13, 2025, the Trump administration decided to terminate TPS for Afghan TPS holders. The Trump Department of Homeland Security scheduled TPS from Afghanistan to end effective July 14, 2025, causing TPS holders to lose TPS and related work authorization.
It is important that TPS holders immediately seek legal advice from a trusted immigration attorney for more information on this or any other immigration relief that may be available to you.
El Salvador
TPS Extended Through September 9, 2026.
On January 17, 2025, DHS extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months for eligible Salvadorans who currently hold TPS, beginning on March 10, 2025, and ending on September 9, 2026. This extension allows eligible TPS beneficiaries to retain TPS and related work authorization through September 9, 2026, so long as they re-register during the 60-day re-registration period.
TPS holders from El Salvador are facing several problems due to confusion regarding the exact date when Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) will expire. While several advocacy efforts are underway asking USCIS to make visible the correct information, it is important to spread the word that per Federal Register Notice El Salvador EADs are automatically eligible for the 540-day extension until September 9, 2026.
Who are those TPS holders impacted by the confusion? Salvadorans who renewed their TPS and submitted an application to receive a new EAD card in 2025 but have not heard from USCIS yet. Over 117,000 people are affected by backlogs.
Does the new Interim Final Rule ending the automatic extension of EAD affect TPS holders from El Salvador? No, this community completed the application process between January 17, 2025, through March 10, 2025. The new rule affects only EAD applications (I-765) submitted on or after October 30, 2025.
To learn more, Alianza Americas is offering a new bilingual tool to educate and clarify the situation:
English: https://bit.ly/4qTTMRL | Spanish: https://bit.ly/4kKli2x
Check the USCIS or the National TPS Alliance website for updated information on the TPS for El Salvador.
Haiti
A federal court has temporarily blocked the government from ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti, so Haitian TPS holders keep their TPS and can keep working for now, even though the government had planned to end Haiti TPS on February 3, 2026.
Because of the court order, many Haiti TPS work permits (EADs) in the A12 or C19 categories that were set to expire are treated as extended, and USCIS says employers should accept them as valid for work authorization checks. For the moment, USCIS is using March 15, 2026, as the “valid through” date while the lawsuit continues. This affects Haitian nationals currently covered by Haiti TPS, as well as employers who verify their work authorization, and the situation could change again depending on what the court decides next.
Honduras
On February 9, 2026, DHS won a Ninth Circuit decision allowing the government to move forward with ending TPS for Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua. The decision allows the federal government to end deportation protections and work permits for more than 60,000 immigrants. After that decision, USCIS updated its websites for Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua to show that TPS for these countries is ending, and the automatic extension of work permits connected to TPS is also ending.
Myanmar (Burma)
A federal district court has temporarily blocked DHS’s attempt to end TPS for Burma; termination had been scheduled for Jan. 24, 2026.
Last year, over 150 organizations called for further extension and redesignation of TPS for an additional 18 months to eligible Burmese due to: i) ongoing civil conflict and displacement, ii) a devastating earthquake in early 2025, and iii) ongoing humanitarian needs affecting over 20 million people. TPS provides protection from deportation and permission to work to nearly 3,000 Burmese in the United States.
Nepal
On February 9, 2026, DHS won a Ninth Circuit decision allowing the government to move forward with ending TPS for Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua. The decision allows the federal government to end deportation protections and work permits for more than 60,000 immigrants. After that decision, USCIS updated its websites for Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua to show that TPS for these countries is ending, and the automatic extension of work permits connected to TPS is also ending.
Nicaragua
On February 9, 2026, DHS won a Ninth Circuit decision allowing the government to move forward with ending TPS for Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua. The decision allows the federal government to end deportation protections and work permits for more than 60,000 immigrants. After that decision, USCIS updated its websites for Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua to show that TPS for these countries is ending, and the automatic extension of work permits connected to TPS is also ending.
Somalia
DHS announced Somalia TPS will now end March 17, 2026. Immigrants from Somalia who have been in the United States since July 12, 2024, can no longer apply for TPS for the first time.
South Sudan
On Nov. 5, 2025, DHS announced termination of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for South Sudan. TPS benefits under the South Sudan designation end on Jan. 5, 2026, 60 days after publication of the Federal Register notice.
Beneficiaries should consider exploring other immigration options if they wish to remain in the U.S. long-term. Learn more here.
Ukraine
If you currently have TPS for Ukraine, your TPS is valid through October 19, 2026. However, new applications won’t be processed. Learn more here.
Venezuela
TPS for Venezuela has ended for most people, but there are limited exceptions listed below. Immigrants are fighting this termination through a lawsuit.
On January 28, 2026, the Ninth Circuit ruled that DHS exceeded statutory authority when it attempted to terminate TPS for Venezuela and partially for Haiti. The decision challenges the termination of TPS as unconstitutionally motivated by racial animus and as arbitrary, capricious, and in excess of legal authority in violation of the Administrative Procedure ACT (APA).
However, because of an earlier ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court (a higher court) allowed the revocation take effect anyway, this decision does not restore TPS and 600,000 Venezuela TPS holders continue to face detention. Nonetheless, the Ninth Court decision may help some people seek release from detention if they previously had TPS from Venezuela and are members of the National TPS Alliance.
Who no longer has valid TPS or a TPS-based work permit:
For most people who received TPS for Venezuela in 2021, TPS and TPS-based work permits ended on November 7, 2025. For most people who received TPS for Venezuela in 2023, TPS and TPS-based work permits ended on October 3, 2025.
Who still has valid TPS or a work permit:
If you received a TPS approval notice between January 17, 2025 and February 5, 2025, your TPS will remain valid until October 2, 2026.
If you received a Form I-94 for TPS between January 17, 2025 and February 5, 2025 and the Form I-94 has an expiration date of October 2, 2026, your TPS will remain valid until October 2, 2026.
If you received a new work permit based on TPS between January 17, 2025 and February 5, 2025, and the work permit has an expiration date of October 2, 2026, your work permit is valid until October 2, 2026. But please note that a work permit does not extend your TPS, and having a work permit alone does not automatically provide protection against deportation or detention.
If you applied to renew your work permit based on TPS and received a work permit receipt notice with a “Received Date” before February 6, 2025, your work permit is extended for 540 days past the expiration date printed on your card. But please note that the work permit extension does not extend your TPS, and having a work permit alone does not automatically provide protection against deportation or detention.
Despite the Ninth Circuit ruling, 600,000 Venezuela TPS holders still face detention and deportation because a Supreme Court shadow docket order lets the revocation take effect anyway.
For updated information in Spanish, visit the ASAP Together website.
Yemen
On February 13, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security announced it is ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Yemen. DHS says the end date will be 60 days after the official notice is published (in the Federal Register). After TPS ends, people who only have TPS—and no other legal status—will be expected to leave the United States, and DHS says it may arrest and deport people who stay without status after that date. The announcement also says people who leave can use a government phone app to report their departure and may be offered help with travel costs and money to leave.
For more information visit the National TPS Alliance website where you can find F&Q in English and Spanish.
Other Immigration Policy Updates
Work Permits & Asylum: Proposed DHS Rule
On Feb. 20, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposed suspending new work permits to asylum applicants until the average processing time for asylum applications falls below 180 days — a backlog DHS says could take between 14 and 173 years to resolve under current conditions.
The proposal would increase the waiting period before asylum seekers can apply for a work permit from 180 days to a year. It would also restrict eligibility to people who told immigration officials within 48 hours of entering the country that they were fleeing persecution.
The rule has not taken effect. The proposal is subject to a 60-day public comment period before it can be finalized [dhs.gov]. The policy would not affect asylum seekers renewing existing work permits.
Who should care: Asylum seekers, employers hiring asylum applicants, legal aid organizations.
You can learn more about work permits and policy updates visiting ASAP Together with available information in English and Spanish.
Refugee & Humanitarian Policies
A new DHS internal policy memo from February 18, 2026, may permit detention and additional inspection of certain refugees if they have been in the U.S. for one year or more but have not become green card holders yet.
Under this policy, refugees are expected to “check back in” with DHS for a required review after one year; if they didn’t apply for a green card, or don’t show up for the required inspection/appointments, DHS says it can arrest and detain them in order to complete that review, and keep them detained while the review is happening.
After the review, DHS will either approve the person for a green card or may place the person into immigration court and even try to remove them if DHS decides they are not eligible. Legal challenges are expected as immigration advocates review the guidance.
U.S. Pauses Immigrant Visa Processing for 75 Countries
- On January 21, 2026, the U.S. government paused processing of immigrant visas issuance at U.S. embassies in 75 countries.
- All family-based visas and employment-based immigrant visas (EB-1 to EB-5) are on hold. These visas grant lawful permanent resident status (often leading to a Green Card) for people outside the U.S.
- No official end date announced, and pause is tied to public charge policy review.
- Non-immigrant work visas (H-1B, H-2B, H-2A, TN) and student/visitor visas (F-1, B-1/B-2) are NOT affected.
- Adjustment of Status applications filed inside the U.S. continue normal processing.
Countries Affected by Visa Pause
| Countries A-F | Countries G -M | Countries N-Z |
| Afghanistan | Georgia | Nepal |
| Albania | Ghana | Nicaragua |
| Algeria | Grenada | Nigeria |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Guatemala | North Macedonia |
| Armenia | Guinea | Pakistan |
| Azerbaijan | Haiti | Republic of the Congo |
| Bahamas | Iran | Rwanda |
| Bangladesh | Iraq | Russia |
| Barbados | Jamaica | Saint Kitts and Nevis |
| Belarus | Jordan | Saint Lucia |
| Belize | Kazakhstan | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
| Bhutan | Kosovo | Senegal |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Kuwait | Sierra Leone |
| Brazil | Kyrgyz Republic | Somalia |
| Burma | Laos | South Sudan |
| Cameroon | Lebanon | Sudan |
| Cape Verde | Liberia | Syria |
| Colombia | Libya | Tanzania |
| Cote d’Ivoire | Moldova | Thailand |
| Cuba | Mongolia | The Gambia |
| Dem. Rep. of the Congo | Montenegro | Togo |
| Dominica | Morocco | Tunisia |
| Egypt | Uganda | |
| Eritrea | Uruguay | |
| Ethiopia | Uzbekistan | |
| Fiji | Yemen |