In a reversal of its previous policy, on Oct. 28, the Trump administration announced its decision to extend Temporary Protected Status for approximately 250,000 El Salvadorans in the United States as part of a signed bilateral agreement on border security and information sharing.

In 2017 and 2018, the Trump administration announced plans to terminate TPS for El Salvador. However, a federal challenge was filed (Ramos v. Nielsen), and a U.S. District Court enjoined the Department of Homeland Security from implementing or enforcing the termination plans. As part of that injunction, the TPS designation for these countries and thereby protections for beneficiaries were automatically extended through Jan. 2, 2020.

ABC and other construction industry leaders expressed concerns about the administration’s previous decision to terminate TPS designations and urged Congress and the administration to ensure that TPS holders could continue to work legally in the United States. 

The new bilateral agreement will extend TPS-related Employment Authorization Documents for eligible Salvadorans through Jan. 4, 2021. It is estimated that nearly 37,000 El Salvadoran TPS recipients work in the construction industry across the country.