Search
Contact
Login
Share this article
The Department of Homeland Security has extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nationals of Syria who qualify for the program.
Key points:
Background: The U.S. first designated Syria for TPS in 2012. The designation was most recently extended last year. There are about 7,000 Syrian TPS beneficiaries in the U.S.
DHS cited Syria’s “ongoing armed conflict and extraordinary and temporary conditions” in deciding to extend the designation. DHS will decide whether to grant another extension on or before Jan. 30, 2021. Notably, DHS took the step of temporarily extending but not “re-designating” the country of Syria for TPS, as it has previously. This means Syrian nationals who have not previously held TPS cannot now apply for the status, and must seek other forms of immigration relief to stay in the U.S.
The Trump administration has moved to end TPS designations for a number of other countries, including El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua and Sudan. Those terminations are currently on hold after a court ordered a temporary halt to the termination of TPS for four of the countries last fall, and DHS agreed to comply with the order for all six countries while it appeals the court’s decision. The litigation, however, does not involve TPS for Syrian nationals.
BAL Analysis: Employers should be aware of the extension for Syrian nationals with TPS-related employment authorization documents. Details on re-registration dates and procedures will be available when the government publishes an official notice.
This alert has been provided by the BAL U.S. Practice group. For additional information, please contact berryapplemanleiden@bal.com.
Copyright © 2019 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.
The U.S. Department of Labor has posted updated processing times for permanent labor certification (PERM) applications. PERM Processing: As…
Immigrant visa issuance continued to climb in fiscal year 2023, surpassing pre-pandemic totals, according to recently published State…
EU member states’ ambassadors have agreed on a draft regulation that would let the EU suspend visa-free travel for countries…
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced this week that it will implement a streamlined process to provide Employment…