On Friday, the Biden administration announced it will prolong temporary protections for nearly 1 million immigrants currently residing in the United States from Venezuela, El Salvador, Sudan, and Ukraine.

This move comes just days before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, during which he plans to terminate “Temporary Protected Status” (TPS) for immigrants from select countries. Republican leaders have voiced opposition to the TPS program, arguing that its extensions enable some immigrants who have entered or remained in the country unlawfully to stay for extended periods.

In multiple statements on Friday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revealed that the 18-month TPS extension for approximately 937,000 eligible immigrants is justified by ongoing detrimental political, economic, or environmental situations in their countries.

For around 600,000 Venezuelans, the extension is primarily “due to the severe humanitarian crises stemming from political and economic turmoil” in Venezuela.

The extension permits Venezuelan individuals who entered the U.S. by July 31, 2023, to reapply and maintain TPS through October 2026. It also continues their work authorization, provided they adhere to the program’s stipulations.

DHS indicated that ongoing environmental issues in El Salvador, the Russian military aggression in Ukraine, and persistent political unrest in Sudan also justify the TPS extension for those living in the U.S.

Approximately 232,000 individuals from El Salvador can qualify to reapply for TPS, according to DHS. Nearly 104,000 Ukrainians are also eligible for this extension, along with about 1,900 migrants from Sudan who can re-register for TPS.

The renewed protections do not apply to new applicants; they are exclusively for those already sanctioned with TPS, as stated by DHS. The agency mentioned that applicants undergo “comprehensive national security and public safety checks” to qualify.

Once Trump assumes the presidency, he could rescind this extension or eliminate protections entirely; however, such actions would need to adhere to a mandatory notification period, according to Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, in remarks made to X.

Reichlin-Melnick explained, “According to the TPS law, the DHS Secretary can cancel TPS for a country but is required to provide at least 60 days’ notice beforehand.”

After a dispute in Springfield, Ohio, concerning the influx of Haitian migrants covered by TPS, Trump mentioned to News Nation in October, “I would definitely revoke it, and I would send them back to their country.”

The Biden administration previously announced an 18-month extension for Haitians with TPS in June.