A bill recently introduced in the House of Representatives may give new hope to both immigrants under Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Dreamers, or DACA recipients. The American Dream and Promise Act of 2019 would allow over two million TPS holders and Dreamers adjust their status by obtaining legal permanent residency, or green cards. The bill also makes similar provisions for Liberians with Deferred Enforced Departure (DED), another group who has work authorization and some protections from deportation but who have no legal immigrant status.
Groups of immigrants from four different countries now have seen their TPS status extend to at least January 2, 2020. TPS holders from Haiti, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Sudan have received this extension due to ongoing federal court litigation and rulings in Ramos v. Nielsen. Additional litigation in Bhattarai v. Nielsen also has prompted DHS to extend TPS status to January 5, 2020, for immigrants from Honduras and Nepal.
In April, TPS holders from South Sudan also received an 18-month extension of their status. Natives of three other countries – Somalia, Syria, and Yemen – are still awaiting their fates. The federal government formally ended the Liberians with DED program on March 31, 2018, but instead gave the recipients a one-year wind-down period. As a result, DED status for Liberians was set to expire on March 31, 2019, but the Trump administration extended their status until March 30, 2020. DED recipients also will have work authorization during this extension. Liberians with DED status have been residing in the U.S. at least since 2002.
Peek Law Group dedicates a large part of its practice to helping both individuals and businesses resolve their immigration-related issues. Immigration law is a complex, ever-changing area of the law that necessitates legal advice from experienced immigration lawyers who keep up-to-date with all relevant changes in law and policy. We will work with you to achieve the most positive outcome possible in your situation. Call our office today and set up a consultation with our skilled immigration attorneys today.