Bush signs Immigration Act of 1990, creating Temporary Protected Status

President George H.W. Bush signs the Immigration Act of 1990 (IMMACT90), establishing Temporary Protected Status as a formal humanitarian protection for nationals of countries experiencing armed conflict, natural disasters, or other extraordinary conditions. The law allows the Attorney General — later the DHS Secretary — to designate countries for TPS and extend protection to their nationals already present in the United States. El Salvador immediately becomes the first country designated, covering thousands of Salvadorans fleeing civil war. The law creates the statutory framework that every subsequent TPS designation, extension, and termination must follow — including the country conditions review that DHS will later be accused of skipping when terminating Yemen's status in 2026.