DHS Was Ready to End TPS for 200,000 Salvadorans Before White House Stepped In

As TPS for El Salvador reaches its designated expiration date today, September 9, a crucial procedural oversight has emerged. Under federal law, DHS was required to publish a formal notice 60 days in advance—a step that was never taken. This missing Federal Register notice triggers an automatic 6-month extension under INA § 244, leaving over 170,000 Salvadorans in legal limbo while advocacy groups prepare immediate court challenges to halt any cancellation. (Credit: Illustration by Miguel Paiva / Latin Times)

The Department of Homeland Security was preparing to end Temporary Protected Status for roughly 200,000 Salvadorans before the White House intervened, halting a termination notice that had already advanced through the administration, according to Politico

DHS and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services had approved the termination and the notice was headed toward publication in the Federal Register when the White House stepped in.