WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden’s administration on Friday renewed deportation relief that currently covers 900,000 immigrants from Venezuela, El Salvador, Ukraine and Sudan, a move that would delay any attempt by President-elect Donald Trump. Trump to sunset protections.

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has extended enrollment in the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program for those countries, giving those immigrants a deportation reprieve and access to work permits for an additional 18 months.

Biden, a Democrat, has dramatically increased the number of immigrants eligible for TPS since taking office in 2021. The status, which applies to people whose home countries have experienced a natural disaster, armed conflict or another unique event, now covers more than 1 million people from 17 countries.

Trump, a Republican who returned to the White House on January 20, sought to end most TPS enrollment during his 2017-2021 term in office but was blocked by US courts. Trump won another term in office promising a broad crackdown on immigration and is expected to try to end most TPS protections.

Trump’s transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Biden administration’s moves on Friday halted more calls by activists and some Democrats to grant TPS to recently arrived immigrants and from other countries.

Todd Schulte, president of the advocacy group FWD.us, said the extensions will allow hundreds of thousands of people to continue “contributing to their communities, supporting their families, and strengthening the economy” but also urged Biden to expand TPS to Nicaragua and other countries. .

About 600,000 Venezuelans are eligible for TPS, the largest population in the program.

The Biden administration, which first granted Venezuelans the status in 2021, cited Venezuela’s high crime rate in connection with political and economic instability under President Nicolas Maduro, who was sworn in for a third term. on Friday.