Washington (CNN) The Trump administration will extend temporary protections for Syrians living in the United States for 18 months, allowing thousands of people to remain and work legally, according to an administration official.

The administration has moved to end the Temporary Protected Status for many of the countries with such protection, including El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Sudan, Haiti and Nepal, arguing that the conditions in those countries no longer supported the designation.

However, legal challenges have prevented the US from terminating the status for those countries, leaving people in limbo as the cases work through the courts.

The administration has argued that the program has allowed people to stay in the US far longer than initially intended.

Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan followed former Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen's lead with the decision on Syria. In January 2018, she extended TPS for Syria for an additional 18 months though September 30, 2019. The administration is required to decide whether it will extend protections 60 days in advance of expiration.

Read More