Federal Agencies, Agency Memos & Announcements, AILA Public Statements

BCIS Issues Updated Press Release on TPS Extension for El Salvador

7/16/03 AILA Doc. No. 03071742. Temporary Protected Status & Deferred Enforced Departure

U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

July 16, 2003

Temporary Protected Status for El Salvador Extended to March 9, 2005
Employment Authorization Document Automatically Extended to March 9, 2004

WASHINGTON, D.C.– As part of the Administration’s ongoing efforts to assist El Salvador in recovering from the devastating earthquakes that affected the nation, the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) announced today an extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvador for a period of 18-months until March 9, 2005. This TPS extension, which covers approximately 290,000 Salvadoran registrants, is effective September 9, 2003 and will remain in effect until March 9, 2005. Salvadorans who have been granted TPS must re-register during the re-registration period. The re-registration period begins July 16, 2003 and will remain in effect until September 15, 2003.

“Although El Salvador has made progress in its post-earthquake reconstruction effort, much work remains,” said Eduardo Aguirre, Director, BCIS, in the Department of Homeland Security. “This 18-month extension reflects the Administration’s continued commitment to assist El Salvador in its recovery process.”

In an effort both to provide ample time for eligible Salvadorans to re-register and to prevent potential gaps in employment authorization while they wait for their applications to be processed, BCIS is granting an automatic extension of the expiration date of the Employment Authorization Document (EAD) to March 9, 2004. The automatic EAD extension does not relieve beneficiaries of the responsibility to re-register for TPS benefits.

For more information, please visit the BCIS web site (http://www.immigration.gov/graphics/index.htm) or call the BCIS National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283.

Important reminder to all employers:

BCIS reminds employers that the laws prohibiting unfair, immigration-related employment practices remain in full force. Employers with questions should call the BCIS, Office of Business Liaison Employer Hotline at 1-800-357-2099 or the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) for Immigration Related Unfair Employment Practices Employer Hotline at 1-800-255-8155. The OSC’s Employee Hotline is 1-800-255-7688.

-BCIS-