Thousands of long-term immigrants from El Salvador and their families are anxiously awaiting a decision from the U.S. government regarding the potential expiration of their Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a move that could place them at risk of deportation. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has yet to announce whether it will extend TPS for approximately 170,000 Salvadorans, including 36,000 residing in California.
Federal officials have previously targeted other immigrant groups whose TPS expired. Since their status ended in July, many Haitian TPS holders have been fitted with ankle monitors, and some have already been repatriated to their politically unstable country, which is plagued by gang violence. Salvadorans constitute the largest population of remaining TPS beneficiaries as federal authorities have reduced the number of countries qualifying for the designation.
Currently, just over 100,000 individuals from Sudan, Ukraine, and Lebanon hold TPS protections until later this year, with Ukrainians forming the vast majority. Under TPS, recipients are legally permitted to work in the United States. Nationwide, more than 150,000 U.S. citizen children have parents with Salvadoran TPS.
When questioned on Tuesday about the administration's plans for Salvadoran TPS, border advisor Tom Homan stated he was unaware of the decision, deferring to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. Later, DHS released a statement indicating that an announcement concerning El Salvador's TPS would be made "at the appropriate time," and that "Salvadoran individuals present in the U.S. under TPS retain protection" until then.
Homan commented that El Salvador is now a "much safer country," implying that conditions prompting emigration may have improved. He also expressed satisfaction that the administration is adhering to the statute's intent, stating, "temporary means temporary." The looming deadline has caused significant alarm among Salvadoran communities in Los Angeles and beyond. Lorena Zepeda, a 57-year-old TPS holder who has lived in the U.S. for nearly half her life, expressed her distress over the uncertainty, stating, "Even though my work permit has been temporary, my life here is not temporary."
California hosts the largest concentration of Salvadoran TPS holders, with smaller populations in Texas, Maryland, and New York. These individuals are primarily employed in construction, groundskeeping, and transportation, contributing an estimated $1.5 billion in combined taxes, according to the immigrant advocacy organization FWD.us. When President Trump assumed office, approximately 1.3 million people from 17 countries were enrolled in the TPS program. A Supreme Court ruling in June affirmed the administration's authority to terminate TPS for immigrants from Haiti and Syria without judicial review, paving the way for further terminations.
The administration has since terminated TPS for over 1 million immigrants from 13 countries, with some terminations announced after their scheduled expiration dates. For instance, terminations for Nicaragua and Honduras were announced three days after their July 8, 2025 expiration, though a 60-day extension was provided. The termination of TPS for Salvadorans is particularly impactful, as they have held TPS for 25 years, the longest duration of any country, deeply integrating into American society. Trump administration officials and conservative proponents argue the program has deviated from its original purpose as a temporary measure.
Established in 1990 under the George H.W. Bush administration, TPS has been utilized by successive Democratic and Republican administrations to provide emergency relief to immigrants unable to return safely to their home countries due to armed conflict or natural disasters. President Trump's initial attempt to terminate TPS for Salvadorans during his first term was blocked by an appeal, and protections remained in place until President Biden reversed the decision, later significantly expanding eligibility for the program.
