The expansion of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program under President Joe Biden’s administration has resulted in the protection of over 860,000 foreign nationals from deportation in the United States. According to data released by the Congressional Research Service, the TPS program implemented during Biden’s tenure safeguards approximately 864,000 foreign nationals, who would otherwise be considered illegal aliens and subject to deportation.
The Congressional Research Service reports:
“There are currently 16 countries under TPS designations. As of March 31, 2024, approximately 863,880 foreign nationals from the following countries who were in the United States were protected by TPS: Afghanistan, Burma, Cameroon, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Venezuela, and Yemen. In addition, certain Palestinians, Liberians, and residents of Hong Kong living in the United States currently maintain relief under Deferred Enforced Departure.”
Biden’s administration has witnessed a significant expansion of TPS, primarily due to the participation of various nationalities. Notably, around 345,000 Venezuelans, over 200,000 Haitians, more than 180,000 El Salvadorans, over 54,000 Hondurans, and more than 50,000 Ukrainians have taken advantage of the quasi-amnesty program. It is worth mentioning that a majority of TPS beneficiaries are concentrated in a few states, with approximately 300,000 residing in Florida, nearly 94,000 in Texas, 67,840 in New York, and 67,800 in California.
Recent reports indicate that the number of foreign nationals eligible for TPS has reached approximately 1.2 million. The TPS program was initially established under the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1990 (INA) to protect individuals from deportation in countries facing famine, war, or natural disasters. Over time, TPS has evolved into a de facto amnesty program, as it has been consistently renewed by the Clinton, Bush, Obama, Trump, and now Biden administrations for various countries.