WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Trump administration is extending humanitarian protections for Haitian immigrants living in the United States until at least January.
The Temporary Protected Status for 50,000 Haitians was set to expire in July. A U.S. government official says the Trump administration has agreed to extend it by at least six months.
The status protects the Haitians from deportation. It was implemented after a 2010 earthquake devastated parts of Haiti.
The official was briefed on the decision but not authorized to publicly disclose details in advance of an announcement.
Haitian-Americans, lawmakers and the Haitian government have urged the Trump administration to leave the protections in place. They say the country is still not ready to take back immigrants who have been living abroad.
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Balsamo reported from Los Angeles