Biden Quietly Expands ‘Temporary’ Amnesty to 1.2 Million Foreign Nationals

Nearly 1.2 million foreign nationals are safe from deportation thanks to President Biden’s expansion of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) eligibility. 

This is a move Biden has taken since he came into office. He has added several countries to the TPS list. For example, almost half a million Venezuelans received expanded amnesty protection in 2021. Biden’s record has surpassed previous levels of expanding amnesty for foreign nationals, increasing the foreign-born population in the United States to a record high of an estimate of over 51 million. That surpasses previous levels that go back to 1970. 

According to the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), the numbers are staggering. Since Biden took office, the number has increased by 6.4 million. 

“Since President Biden took office in January 2021, the foreign-born population has grown by 6.4 million — larger than the individual populations of 33 states.”

DHS Secretary Mayorkas announced Friday that an extension and redesignation of Ethiopia for Temporary Protected Status was granted, allowing them an 18-month reprieve. A corresponding Federal Register notice was released, which provides information about registration for applicants. 

The extension for Ehtiopians is for 18 months, from June 13, 2024, to December 12, 2025. The reason given for the extension was due to ongoing armed conflict and extraordinary and temporary conditions in Ethiopia. These conditions prevent illegal foreign nationals from safely returning home. It allows them to remain in the United States and makes them eligible for work permits. 

Human rights abuses were cited in Ethiopia, as well as droughts, floods, and disease outbreaks. Overlapping humanitarian crises have resulted in ongoing humanitarian needs, said DHS.

Accompanying this announcement is a Special Student Relief notice for F-1 nonimmigrant students whose country of citizenship is Ethiopia so that eligible students may request employment authorization, work an increased number of hours while school is in session, and reduce their course load while continuing to maintain F-1 status through the TPS designation period.

“Temporary Protected Status provides individuals already present in the United States with protection from removal when conditions in their home country prevent their safe return,” said Secretary Mayorkas. “That is the situation facing Ethiopians who arrived here on or before April 11 of this year. We are granting them protection through this temporary form of humanitarian relief that the law provides.”

Any bets on whether or not this temporary amnesty will evolve into a permanent one? Will conditions in Ethiopia improve enough after 18 months to allow them to return? I don’t think so. Biden and Mayorkas may as well admit that they don’t plan to deport illegal foreign nationals, certainly not in an election year. 

The press release from DHS states that the redesignation affects about 12,800 Ethiopians or individuals who lived in Ethiopia but had no nationality.

The redesignation of Ethiopia for TPS allows an estimated 12,800 additional Ethiopian nationals (or individuals having no nationality who last habitually resided in Ethiopia) to file initial applications to obtain TPS, if they are otherwise eligible and they established residence in the United States on or before April 11, 2024, and have continued to reside in the United States since then (“continuous residence”). Ethiopian nationals (and those without nationality who last habitually resided in Ethiopia) who arrive in the United States after April 11, 2024 are not eligible for TPS.

Re-registration is limited to individuals who previously registered for and were granted TPS under Ethiopia’s initial designation. Current beneficiaries under TPS for Ethiopia must re-register in a timely manner during the 60-day re-registration period from April 15, 2024, through June 14, 2024, to ensure they keep their TPS and employment authorization.

How does anyone “have no nationality?” How can a person be properly vetted without even the information about where a person was born?  

The bottom line is that thousands of Ethiopians will remain in the United States. Amnesty Joe will allow them to continue to reap educational benefits and take jobs from American citizens.

It’s business as usual in Biden’s America.