Trump administration lets 260K Salvadorans stay in U.S. longer

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration on Monday extended the temporary protection status for thousands of Salvadorans in the United States, including those working and living in Nevada.

The Department of Homeland Security and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele announced an agreement between the two countries that not only extends the protected status but also includes collaboration on border security measures.

Ken Cuccinelli, the acting director for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, said the agreement “is a tremendous step forward to address security concerns of aliens entering the U.S. at the Southern border.”

El Salvador’s Foreign Minister Alexander Hill said “Salvadorans protected by the TPS are admirable people, who have worked for 20 years to build a future of well-being.”

About 436,000 people from 10 countries have protected status in the United States, according to the non-partisan Congressional Research Service. The majority of people with the status in the United States, about 262,000, are from El Salvador.

Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., said about 5,700 temporary protected status holders from El Salvador live in Nevada. He said there are 3,800 U.S.-born children in Nevada with Salvadoran parents who are hold that status.

Horsford said he is pleased the Trump administration agreed to extend protected status for Salvadorans.

“This long-overdue decision will give (families) comfort and assurance that they can remain in the U.S. where they work, have started families, purchased homes and contribute to the well being of our communities and economy,” Horsford said.

The Trump administration announced in 2018 that it would end the temporary protected status program for El Salvador, Nicaragua, Haiti and Sudan.

A federal judge in California blocked the administration’s plans to end the program and ordered further review.

Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan said Monday that close cooperation with Bukele and Salvadoran leaders led to the agreement to extend protected status for Salvadorans in the United States through Jan. 4, 2021.

In addition, the Trump administration will give Salvadorans with the status an additional year to repatriate back to El Salvador after the January 2021 date.

The agreement between the two countries also allows U.S Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials to advise and mentor their Salvadoran national police, immigration and customs counterparts on drug and human trafficking and other criminal investigations.

The two countries also plan to expand biometric data collection and information sharing to crackdown on criminals and gangs.

Horsford said most of the Salvadorans in the United States “have crafted beautiful and vibrant lives here.”

He said forced return of roughly 200,000 people to El Salvador would “cause chaos and turmoil, not only for these families but for the country of El Salvador itself.”

Hill said the arrangement Salvadorans in the United States “fight for their dreams.”

“We will continue to work 24/7 for a permanent solution,” Hill said.

McAleenan praised President Bukele for his help to address migration flows that will build a more stable and prosperous region.

Cucinelli said by working together “we can better assure the safety of our people, discourage illegal immigration and identify potential threats to both of our countries.”

Contact Gary Martin at gmartin@reviewjournal.com or 202-662-7390. Follow @garymartindc on Twitter.