Schmitt releases Biden admin guidance extending temporary status designation for millions

Missouri Republican Sen. Eric Schmitt shared documents Thursday that appeared to show former President Joe Biden's advisors encouraged him to extend temporary protected status for millions of noncitizens.

The documents, which were given to the former president after the 2024 election but before President Donald Trump took office, emphasized the importance of the Biden administration extending the protections for 3.1 million people.

The documents suggested Biden extend the status for migrants from five countries: Afghanistan, Nicaragua, Sudan, Ukraine and Venezuela. It also suggested he extend the status to two other countries: Ecuador and Guatemala.

"The Venezuela redesignation alone would have shielded another 455,000 people from deportation, possibly including Tren de Aragua members," Schmitt said in a series of posts on X. "The Biden Administration laughed off possibly unleashing a Venezuelan terrorist gang inside America as a partisan argument."

Schmitt added that the "most disturbing" part of the documents was the suggestion that Biden create new designations, because it would impact 2.1 million designees under the recommendation. 

"Biden tried to turn TPS into a 3.1-million-person deportation shield, protect Tren de Aragua members, and trap President Trump in years of litigation," he said. "All to reject the will of the people. I am going to keep fighting TPS until we get the job done."

Temporary Protected Status is given to people from countries that are unsafe because of a natural disaster, political instability or other dangerous conditions. The protections are granted for six, 12 or 18 months and allow the recipient to work in the United States and prevents them from being deported.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.