El Salvador TPS stays in effect past expiry as DHS weighs next move

El Salvador's Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation was scheduled to lapse in early September 2026, but the status remains in effect pending further announcements by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). El Salvador has held the protection for more than 20 years, following two devastating earthquakes in 2001.

Key facts

• El Salvador's TPS expiry: early September 2026 — still in effect awaiting further DHS announcements
• How long El Salvador has had TPS: extended and re-designated for over 20 years since the 2001 earthquakes
• How long TPS lasts: between 6 and 18 months, extendable by DHS
• Who holds TPS in the U.S.: nearly 1.3 million people as of March 2025
• Court ruling: the Supreme Court ruled in June 2026 that TPS terminations are largely unreviewable by courts

What is Temporary Protected Status?

The U.S. Congress established TPS in 1990 as a protective immigration status for people from countries affected by ongoing armed conflict, an environmental disaster, an epidemic, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions that make a safe return impossible. Both Democratic and Republican presidents have used the program for more than 30 years.

TPS allows recipients to live and work legally in the U.S. for the duration of their status. It is not a visa, and it does not by itself grant a path to permanent residence.

What is the current situation for Salvadorans?

El Salvador received TPS following two devastating earthquakes in 2001, and subsequent developments led to its extension and re-designation for over 20 years. The designation was set to expire in early September 2026, but it remains in effect pending further announcements by DHS.

The source does not state what decision DHS will take, or when an announcement is expected.

What has changed more widely?

The Trump administration has taken steps to end protections for people from Venezuela, Afghanistan, Cameroon, Nepal, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Syria, South Sudan, Myanmar (Burma), Ethiopia, Yemen and Somalia.

In June 2026, the Supreme Court ruled that TPS terminations are largely unreviewable by courts. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) said the decision cleared the way for the deportation of hundreds of thousands of Haitian and Syrian nationals who had been living safely and legally in the U.S. under TPS. According to the IRC, the ruling has since allowed the termination of TPS for five more countries to take effect and has put all TPS holders at greater risk of losing their protections, regardless of nationality.

Who can qualify for TPS?

A person must already live in the U.S. They must have been continuously physically present and residing in the country before the date the status was designated by DHS. Anyone arriving in the U.S. after that date is not eligible.

What this means for travellers

People from El Salvador already in the U.S. under TPS should note that their status is running on an expired designation awaiting a DHS announcement, and should follow DHS notices for any renewal or termination steps. TPS does not cover new arrivals, so Salvadorans who reach the U.S. after the designation date cannot apply under it.

The wider context includes an estimated 1.3 million TPS holders in the U.S. as of March 2025. Further DHS announcements on El Salvador's designation are the next development to watch; no date has been given.