US to End Temporary Protected Status for Approximately 4,000 Syrian Refugees
The administration of US President Donald Trump has decided to terminate the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for around 4,000 Syrian refugees in the United States, according to an official announcement from the US Department of Homeland Security.
Background
The decision to cancel the status that allowed Syrians to live and work legally in the US for over a decade is part of a broader movement by the White House to expand the categories of migrants eligible for deportation, as reported by American media outlets.
Rationale
The Department of Homeland Security explained that this decision is based on its assessment that the situation in Syria "has improved and no longer prevents its citizens from returning home safely."
Implications
The Syrians affected by this decision have been given a 60-day deadline to voluntarily leave the United States. Any individual remaining after this deadline risks detention and immediate deportation.
Context
The end of this protection for Syrians is the latest in a series of measures taken by the Trump administration to terminate the special status of several nationalities. Previously, TPS had already been canceled for tens of thousands of Venezuelans, Hondurans, Haitians, and Nicaraguans, while the number of beneficiaries of this program had surged to over one million people under the administration of former President Joe Biden.
