U.S. bishops are urging the Department of Homeland Security to provide meaningful notice about future immigration protections for Ukrainian and Salvadoran nationals covered by Temporary Protected Status.

Those beneficiaries will retain TPS protections while DHS considers whether to extend or end the designations. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services posted an alert regarding Ukrainians on Oct. 19 and issued a similar notice for Salvadorans after their Sept. 9 expiration deadline.

TPS applies to eligible nationals of countries that the federal government determines are unsafe for return. DHS makes the final decision on whether a designation continues.

The United States granted TPS to Ukrainians in April 2022, shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion began on Feb. 24 of that year. The United Nations has verified more than 13,000 civilian deaths in Ukraine. El Salvador first received TPS in 2001 following devastating earthquakes.

More than 170,000 Salvadorans and about 100,000 Ukrainians are estimated to hold TPS.

Bishops seek permanent options

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops also supports legislation that would create permanent legal-status pathways for longtime U.S. residents, including some people currently protected through temporary programs.

H.R. 1589, sponsored by Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, would provide permanent-residency pathways for certain individuals known as Dreamers and other immigrants with temporary protections. The bill would also broaden green-card eligibility for some TPS and Deferred Enforced Departure recipients.

Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, introduced H.R. 1589. H.R. 10740, introduced in the House on Oct. 5, would extend TPS for eligible Ukrainians through July 1, 2029.

The House passed H.R. 1689 in April. That legislation would continue Haitian TPS for three additional years, but the legislative efforts have not gained traction in the Senate.

The Trump administration has moved since 2025 to end TPS for people from more than a dozen countries. Haiti’s TPS ended July 27, while Lebanon’s designation is scheduled to end Nov. 27.

Lizbeth Iniguez said the absence of formal DHS notice had left affected communities uncertain. David Spicer said Catholic Charities and other Church ministries were experiencing increased demand.

Archbishop Borys Gudziak said “many Ukrainians relying on TPS in the United States have no home to go back to.”