The Department of Homeland Security granted a temporary reprieve to more than 100,000 migrants from Ukraine and Sudan whose right to remain in the United States was set to expire Monday.
DHS said in a written statement that Ukrainians and Sudanese covered by temporary protected status "retain protection" while the agency prepares a formal announcement on their future status. The reprieve affects approximately 101,000 Ukrainians and 1,800 Sudanese nationals.
DHS did not specify how long the protection would last or when it would announce a final decision on their deportation status. The agency said only that "an announcement will be made at the appropriate time."
Temporary protected status, or TPS, is a federal designation that allows nationals of designated countries experiencing armed conflict, environmental disaster or other extraordinary conditions to live and work in the United States temporarily. TPS holders cannot be deported while their status remains active, though the designation can be extended or terminated.
The temporary reprieve halts immediate deportations but leaves the long-term fate of these migrants uncertain. Both groups had faced the prospect of losing legal protection and becoming subject to deportation proceedings if DHS allowed their TPS designations to lapse.