Washington DC – The Biden administration has granted Haitian citizens in the US the chance to extend their Temporary Protected Status (TPS) by 18 months.

The decision will apply to over 100,000 Haitians in the US, NPR reported.

"After careful consideration, we determined that we must do what we can to support Haitian nationals in the United States until conditions in Haiti improve so they may safely return home," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said as the announcement was made on Saturday.

Mayorkas named human rights violations, extreme poverty, and the devastating impacts of a huge 2010 earthquake as factors that have worsened living conditions in Haiti considerably.

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Haitians were first granted TPS protections to live and work in the US after the 2010 earthquake. The program was extended several times.

In 2017, Trump tried to end TPS for Haitians, El Salvadorans, and Hondurans. His efforts were blocked by lawsuits alleging there was prejudice toward "non-white, non-European immigrants" behind the decision to cancel the program.

Marielena Hincapié of the National Immigration Law Center said, "We applaud the long overdue decision by the administration to redesignate Haiti for TPS and commend President Biden for heeding the repeated calls to follow through on his campaign promise to protect Haitian communities with longstanding ties here who have built their lives in the U.S. This announcement is welcome relief for more than 100,000 Haitians who have been living with great uncertainty."

The extension only applies to Haitian nationals and people last residing in Haiti who have been in the US since before May 21. Anyone who tries to enter the country after that date may be repatriated, officials warned.

In March, the Biden administration also offered Venezuelan immigrants already present the US the temporary protected status.