On January 31, the Department of Homeland Security announced its decision to extend Temporary Protected Status for Syrian nationals currently living in the United States for an additional 18 months. However, DHS failed to redesignate TPS for Syria which will deprive nearly 2,000 Syrians who arrived in the U.S. after August 1, 2016 of TPS protections.
FCNL welcomes the extension but vehemently opposes the administration’s decision not to protect recently arrived Syrians, who now face possible deportation back to a country in the midst of a violent and destructive civil war.
Yasmine Taeb, FCNL’s Legislative Director for Human Rights and Civil Liberties, made the following statement:
“While we are glad that nearly 6,000 Syrian TPS holders will be able to continue to live, work, and study in the U.S. for an additional 18 months, the decision to deny nearly 2,000 Syrians who have been living in the U.S. since August 2016 the same opportunity and protections is unconscionable. This administration recognizes that Syria is one of the most dangerous places in the world, and yet, their decision not to redesignate TPS for Syria will tear families apart and send many men, women, and children back to a war zone – this is horrifying and runs counter to our values.
“The Trump administration has forced families from several countries to face similar upheaval in the lives they have built here. This decision comes on the heels of the President’s decision to terminate TPS for Sudan, Nicaragua, Haiti, and El Salvador. We call on Congress to start working on a plan that will provide stability for families and persons this administration has put in harm’s way.”
