Biden Administration Extends Temporary Protected Status for Ukrainians in the United States

This measure will enable Ukrainians in the US to live and work here legally until April 19, 2025. It's a step in the right direction, but Congress still needs to pass an adjustment act giving them permanent residency.

Today, the Biden Administration extended and redesignated Temporary Protected Status for Ukrainians in the United States who arrived here by August 16, 2023. TPS gives a foreign citizen the right to live and work in the US for a set period of time. The status is generally used for people whose home countries are in the throes of war, oppression, or a natural disaster.

In plain English, that means that the thousands of Ukrainians  (the administration estimates their numbers at about 26,000) who currently have TPS in the US will be eligible for an extension through April 19, 2025. Otherwise, their status will run out on Oct. 19. Ukrainians currently in the US who do not have TPS, will be able to apply to get the status. That's important for the 140,000 or more who entered under the Uniting for Ukraine private sponsorship program, and whose residency rights (granted by parole) will otherwise run out in 2024 or early 2025 (including my own sponsorees). DHS estimates the total number of Ukrainians now eligible to get TPS status, despite not having it previously at 166,700.

However, the grant of TPS status may extend their residency or work rights only a few months past when they would have expired otherwise. It's possible that the president will address this problem by giving Ukrainian parolees a chance to apply for a two year extension of their parole status, as has already been done with Afghan parole recipients in a similar situation.

While this is a useful step, it is not a substitute for giving Ukrainians (and others in similar straits) permanent residency rights. Congress still needs to pass an adjustment act to do that; I outlined the case for doing so here.

The extension will in time expire. Moreover, what Caesar giveth he can taketh way (or his successor can). So this isn't the end of this issue. But it's an improvement, and it also gives more time for Congress to (hopefully) act.

For those on the watch for signs of ethnic bias or inconsistency, I remind readers that I am well aware that Ukrainians are not the only ones who need an adjustment act granting permanent status. I have repeatedly advocated taking the same step for other immigrant groups in similar situations, most recently in a post on the Afghan Adjustment Act.

Today, the Administration also extended and redesignated TPS for Sudanese in the United States (a total of about 4000 people are affected). Like Ukraine, Sudan has been wracked by a terrible war, and accompanying atrocities.

Comments

[Dr. Ed 2]

IMPEACH BIDEN!!!

[grb]

At the seven year, eleven month, and thirty day-mark of Biden's presidency, I fully expect you'll still be demanding impeachment (perhaps with six exclamation marks by then).

Of course you'll still be seeking a reason too.....

[Krayt]

You are right, but, if against all odds, Trump is re-elected, probably the opposite will be true.

[Sam Bankman-Fried]

The reason Bush Republicans attempted the coup in 2017 was because they believed a Pence presidency would have been substantially different than a Trump presidency…once Trump started appointing Bush Republicans like Tillerson and Preibus the Bush Republicans lost interest in removing Trump.

[Yogis_dad]

Had there been an attempted coup, there would have been casualties among the electeds. There were none. Had there been an attempted coup, real resistance to the unprovoked assault on demonstrators would have led to mass casualties among the Capitol Police. Had there been attempted coup, Congress would not have sat the evening of January 6 to ratify the stolen election. So, get over it.

[Magister]

Dr. Ed 2 would probably still be calling for Biden's impeachment in 2027 no matter who were elected in 2024. And it's Dr. Ed 2, so maybe he is and will be calling for Hunter Biden's impeachment.

[Sarcastr0]

Maybe their execution, Ed being Ed.

[Mr. Bumble]

On that day Biden will have probably been in the ground for a few years.
He is a sick, tired man who is being abused by his family (especially Dr.Jill) and the Democrat party.

[Frank Drackman]

seven years, eleven months....???
Life expectancy for an 80 year old with Parkinson's Disease is way less than that. If he's alive a year now it's a miracle.

Frank

[Moderation4ever]

So, you are acknowledging that Joe Biden is the duly elected President and that his 2020 election was valid. Is that correct?

[Life of Brian]

For those on the watch for signs of ethnic bias or inconsistency, I remind readers that I am well aware that Ukrainians are not the only ones who need an adjustment act granting permanent status.

Oh, fear not. There's no confusion whatsoever that you advocate for as much immigration from any and all sources as humanly possible.

I still, however, watch in vain for any posts detailing at the very least the conversion of your backyard into a tent community for those wishing to live there, even if you're going to be so mean-spirited as not to allow them to "foot vote" themselves inside.

[Jacob Grimes]

I was literally thinking the same thing.

[Krayt]

In an economically free society, the more, the better.

This is the great, shining city on the hill. Democrats argue we are awful.

If you welcomed them, maybe those immigrants, when citizenized and patriotized, would vote for Republicans, instead of Democrats, who are working hard to make the economy less and less free, impacting that very benefit of more people.

Your position is, when subtracting the racism, a far leftist thing Bernie approves of. So did Ceasar Chavez, whom the Democrats celebrate annually, even as they would pat him on the head nowadays and tell him to get lost.

One needs votes to win, so one can get in the way of business, so one’s spouse can manifest latent investment savant abilities. Always point out to the power hungry how things will benefit them.

[Sam Bankman-Fried]

I supported Trump’s reduction of immigration…but it was at the exact wrong time. So prime age employment is higher than in 2019 but we still need more workers as boomers finally retire. So right now we need more immigrants to fill the jobs the boomers were filling.

[Life of Brian]

In an economically free society, the more, the better.

That's a lovely academic theory. Since we don't live in an economically free society, though, we do well to view the effects of "y'all come" policies on the society we actually have, not the one we might wish we had.

If you welcomed them, maybe those immigrants, when citizenized and patriotized, would vote for Republicans, instead of Democrats

So your argument is that I should cheer for opening the immigration spigots wide open, in the hope that more of the newcomers will vote red than blue and thus at some point in the future we can restructure our society so as not to be harmed by that influx? As opposed to, oh just for example, working to change hearts/minds of those already here so as to effect that restructuring before throwing open the gates?

It's enough to make P.T. Barnum blush.

[Sam Bankman-Fried]

Uh, somehow an Iraqi came here in September 2020 and attempted to assassinate Bush…so Trump’s Muslim ban looks correct in hindsight but unfortunately Trump was incompetent and so the Muslim ban was ineffective.

[kotodama]

Will no one consider all the TPS reports that will need to be generated because of this? Oh the humanity!

[Frank Drackman]

Peter, I'm gonna need you to come in Saturday, ummkay? Great.
Oh, and Sunday.

[Roger S]

Biden help Ukrainians destroy Ukraine, and he is making the USA worse by bringing them here. We do not want them. If they will not stand up for their own country, then we should not support Ukraine, or the traitors who come here.

[Frank Drackman]

I know he's not a "Military Expert" but Steve Bannon's done more actual Military Service than Parkinsonian Joe, Barry Hussein Osama, William Juffuhson Clinton, Jimmuh Cartuh and "Danang Dick" Blooming-Idiot-Thal,
he's predicting You-crane military is gonna disintegrate this fall, with Kiev falling by Thanksgiving, and Vlodimir Zellwegerensky fleeing to the US (he's an actor, might as well come to Hollyweird), and of course Joe (this is where I disagree, it'll be Common-Law Harris by then) and EUNATO will have to send Jen-U-Wine US Combat Troops....

Frank

[myself]

So what you're saying is that Steve Bannon is an idiot?

[Yogis_dad]

Nope. But he may will have demonstrated that you are.

[Yogis_dad]

The author seems to believe that all foreigners are entitled to come to America and exploit the good will and lassitude of authorities to live, receive welfare, attend government funded schools, work, and possibly even vote here while waiting for an adjudication of their status that may never come. I believe that no foreigner has the right to come here, even temporarily, unless and until being granted entry at a foreign office of the US government, having demonstrated financial self-support capability. No country abutting US territory is in state of war or civil insurrection so great as to make it unsafe for their nationals to find refuge in their homeland. No other country exists from which emigres could not find accommodation outside the US. My belief is far more beneficial to the US than the author's.

[gwfrench]

I have no problem with TPS for Ukrainians and fully support Ukraine with any weapon they ask for in their war with Russia.
But, TPS is meaningless. It has no end point. Haitians have had it since the 2010 earthquake. There was even a trial in 2019 against ending TPS for Haiti. It should just be PS unless with a T it lists specific standards for ending it for that applicant.