More than 100,000 Salvadorans who are beneficiaries of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program face employment and legal risks due to misinformation from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) about the expiration dates of their work permits.
The USCIS website states that Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) expire on March 9, 2026, even though TPS immigration relief expires on September 9, 2026. USCIS fails to inform that employment authorizations are subject to an automatic 540-day extension, bringing their expiration date to September 9, 2026.
Some of the misinformation stems from a new USCIS rule that ended the automatic 540-day extension of employment authorizations while they are being processed. However, this rule applies only to employment applications submitted on or after October 30, 2025. USCIS has not explained that EADs for TPS beneficiaries from El Salvador are not affected by the new rule.
The effect of this misinformation is that employers and Departments of Motor Vehicles (DMVs), which issue driver’s licenses, are unaware of the notice in the federal register regarding TPS for El Salvador, which includes mention of the automatic extension of work permits until September 9, 2026.
This misinformation has significant impacts on TPS beneficiaries, their employers, and local governments. Alianza Americas member organizations that work directly with TPS beneficiaries have reported dismissal, as well as the revocation of driver’s licenses and other authorizations or licenses that require TPS beneficiaries to present a valid work permit. Furthermore, the absence of a document showing the TPS expiration date increases the risk of indiscriminate and unjust arrests and detentions of beneficiaries by ICE and CBP agents.
In response to the misinformation generated by USCIS’s actions, Alianza Americas and its member organizations have organized a national education campaign targeting TPS beneficiaries from El Salvador. We developed informational tools, convened emergency meetings with member organizations’ legal assistance teams to define advocacy and legal support actions, and mobilized allies.
Alianza America has also alerted members of the U.S. Congress to demand accountability from USCIS, and update its website with a correction to the El Salvador TPS federal register notice, 90 FR 5953, to change the expiration date of employment authorization from March 9, 2026, to September 9, 2026 for EADs, expedite the processing of EAD application forms, and update quarterly application processing reports, which are an essential performance metric for any public office, including USCIS.
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Alianza Americas is a transnational network of migrant-led organizations in the United States. We advocate for social justice, equity and human rights in the Americas.
