The Department of Homeland Security granted a temporary reprieve to more than 100,000 migrants from Ukraine and Sudan whose deportation protections were set to expire on Monday.
Temporary protected status covered approximately 101,000 Ukrainians and 1,800 Sudanese nationals. DHS said those individuals "retain protections" while the department prepares a separate announcement on their long-term status.
The agency provided no timeline for that announcement or details on how long the temporary reprieve will last. DHS issued only a written statement saying a decision "will be made at the appropriate time," without specifying when.
Temporary protected status, or TPS, allows foreign nationals to remain and work in the United States during periods of armed conflict, environmental disaster or epidemic in their home countries. The program has repeatedly faced legal and political challenges, particularly regarding extensions and new designations.
Ukraine received TPS designation in 2022 following Russia's full-scale invasion. Sudan's designation predates the recent conflict but remains active amid ongoing civil war.
The reprieve averts immediate mass deportations but leaves uncertainty for affected migrants about their future legal standing. The lack of detail from DHS suggests ongoing deliberation within the administration about whether to extend, modify or allow the protections to lapse.