Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced Thursday that the Biden-Harris administration had given the go-ahead. Temporary protection status To Lebanese nationals currently residing in the United States. DHS claims that “ongoing armed conflict and unusual and temporary circumstances” are preventing the nationals from returning safely.
“The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is announcing new measures that will provide eligible Lebanese nationals currently in the United States with a temporary deferral of entry and an opportunity to apply for work authorization,” DHS wrote. “Today’s announcement includes details regarding the Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for Lebanese nationals previously announced in July and the new Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation planned for Lebanon. There is.”
“11,000 Lebanese nationals are likely to qualify.”
The administration's announcement came after the Iranian-backed terrorist organization Hezbollah, which operates in Lebanon, fired thousands of rockets into Israel. Earlier this month, Israel began responding to these attacks with “limited, localized, targeted ground raids.”
“Those approved for TPS may remain in the country while the United States engages in talks to achieve a diplomatic solution for lasting stability and security across the Israel-Lebanon border. “We can,” DHS said in a report Thursday. press release.
Lebanese nationals granted TPS status will be protected from deportation for 18 months and will be eligible to obtain a work permit for the duration of their stay.
The administration also said the program is available to “individuals who do not have national citizenship and were previously habitual residents of Lebanon.”
To qualify, individuals must have “continuously resided in the United States since October 16, 2024.”
In addition to the TPS program, DHS also announced a “Special Student Relief Notice for F-1 Nonimmigrant Students whose country of nationality is Lebanon.” Eligible students can apply for work authorization, work more hours, and take fewer coursework while maintaining their F-1 status.
DHS estimates that “11,000 Lebanese nationals are likely eligible for protection.”
The Biden-Harris administration has come under fire for its use of TPS, which previously opened the program to citizens of a number of countries including Haiti, Venezuela, Syria and Ukraine.
Earlier this year, the administration announced it would extend TPS for Haitians, allowing more than 300,000 people to stay longer until February 2026. Venezuelan nationals in the United States under TPS will be protected from any deportation actions until 2025. .
The Biden-Harris administration took a tougher stance on immigration, saying earlier this month it would not extend temporary legal status to the more than 500,000 immigrants who entered the country through the controversial CHNV, which has questionable legality. Blaze News previously reported. The program allows 30,000 individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to immigrate to the country each month.
However, just because the temporary legal status under this particular program is not extended does not mean that the alien will be forced to leave the country. In fact, Haitian and Venezuelan nationals may be eligible to remain in the current TPS program.
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