Thousands of Syrian immigrant refugees have been allowed to remain in the US for at least another 18 months by the Trump administration. The Department of Homeland Security made the decision to extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to around 7000 Syrian immigrants in the US, acknowledging that it is not safe for them to go back to their home country, which is engulfed in civil war.
Kirstjen Nielsen, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, released a statement noting that the conditions on which TPS was given to the Syrian immigrant refugees still exist, thus warranting an extension of the program. Syrians who already have TPS will be able to remain in the US and legally work through to September 2019.
To qualify, Syrians need to have lived in the US continuously since at least August 2016, if not earlier. Some advocates have complained that the devastation in the country means the government’s response is inadequate, given that Syrian immigrants who do not meet the criteria could find themselves sent back to a dangerous situation.
Robert Ford, a former ambassador to Syria, says there is no rule of law in operation in the country, and that the Syrian government is likely to view anyone returning from the US with deep suspicion and place them under arrest. The decision to extend the protections for Syrians broke with the Trump administration’s previous decision to send back tens of thousands of immigrants from Haiti and El Salvador.