Washington, DC | www.adc.org | January 8, 2018 – In light of the Trump Adminstration’s decision today to end TPS (Temporary Protected Status) for immigrants traveling from El Salvador, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) reiterates its great concern for the handling of TPS issues by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
ADC is in the process of filing an official petition to the DHS, requesting the extension and renewel of TPS for nationals traveling from Syria. The petition urges Secretary of Homeland Security, Kirstjen Nielsen to take action and help end this humanitarian crisis.
TPS for Syrian nationals expires on March 31, 2018. The DHS grants TPS to nationals from foreign countries in which conditions are unsafe for them to return or in conditions where the country is unequipped to support their return. The DHS Secretary has the ultimate authority to designate a country for TPS if there is an ongoing armed conflict within the state and, due to such conflict, requiring the return of nationals to their home country would pose a serious threat to their personal safety.
In light of current conditions, extending and renewing the designation of Syria for TPS is an obvious step that the United States must take to help the international community address the needs of Syrians who are fleeing the ongoing armed conflict and humanitarian crisis in Syria.
ADC has been at the forefront of the TPS issue for Syria and other countries. In 2016, our lawyers met with Leon Rodriguez, then Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), to discuss the need for the extension and renewal of TPS for Syria, as well as other issues impacting the Arab American community. At that time, ADC submitted an official petition requesting DHS to extend and renew the designation of Syria for TPS beyond its September 2016 expiration date. TPS was re-designated and extended to March 31st, 2018, its current expiration date.
ADC calls on its supporters to join the cause and contact their elected officials to call for the extension of TPS for Syria. Let the Trump Administration know that these gross violations of human rights are not acceptable! Click here to take action and #SaveTPS for Syria!