Homeland Security Grants Temporary Deportation Reprieve
Source reports published 19 Oct 2026, 3:44 am – 20 Oct 2026, 5:56 am AEST
The Department of Homeland Security has extended temporary deportation protections for over 100,000 Ukrainian and Sudanese immigrants enrolled in the Temporary Protected Status program, pending final decisions. This decision contrasts with previous administrations' efforts to terminate these protections.
What happened
- The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has retained deportation protections for nationals of Ukraine and Sudan enrolled in the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program.
- This decision, announced by DHS on Sunday, extends protections for over 100,000 Ukrainians and hundreds of Sudanese immigrants, despite their original protections being slated to expire on Monday.
- The program, established in 1990, allows the U.S. government to offer temporary deportation relief and work permits to immigrants from countries facing armed conflict, environmental disasters, or other crises.
- Ukraine was first designated for TPS in April 2022 following Russia’s invasion.
- Sudan’s TPS program, established in 1997, has also been extended due to ongoing conflict and instability.
- Yuriy Boyechko, CEO of Hope For Ukraine, described the DHS announcement as a ‘bandage’ and called for a permanent residency pathway.
- Activists and lawmakers have expressed concerns about the upcoming expiration deadlines, citing ongoing dangers in both Ukraine and Sudan.
- Myal Greene, president and CEO of World Relief, expressed gratitude for the extension while urging consideration of long-term relief options.
- Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, president and CEO of Global Refuge, emphasized the continued unsafe conditions in Ukraine and Sudan, citing ongoing war, famine, and human rights abuses.
Original reporting
- CBS News: Immigrants from Ukraine and Sudan to retain deportation protections for now
2026-10-18T17:44:00+00:00 - PBS NewsHour: Homeland Security grants temporary deportation reprieve for more than 100,000 Ukrainians and Sudanese
2026-10-19T19:56:50+00:00