U.S. extends protected migrants status for six nationalities until 2024 

The United States extended a protected status program for migrants from six countries that prevents them from being deported until 2024, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on Thursday. 

The Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for citizens from Haiti, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Sudan, Honduras, and Nepal will be extended until June 30, 2024, according to a document filed by USCIS. 

Initially, the TPS for citizens from these countries was due to expire at the end of this year. 

Migrants who receive TPS status usually come from countries that have gone through extraordinary events, such as a natural disaster or a conflict. Recipients are given work permits during their stay in the U.S. and are protected from deportation. 

According to USCIS data, the extension of the program will affect around 392,000 migrants, 242,000 of which are citizens of El Salvador. 

"Thanks be to God," Salvadoran Ambassador to the United States Milena Mayorga, tweeted in response to the announcement. 

The extension gives Hondurans in the program "peace of mind for another 18 months," Honduran Foreign Minister Eduardo Reina said at a news conference.

The extension "is a huge relief" for those enrolled in the program, said U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, a Democrat who chairs a Judiciary subcommittee on immigration.