The Biden administration announced Thursday that it will move to protect Lebanese living in the United States from deportation and allow them to obtain work permits, citing a conflict with Israel that prevents them from being sent home.
The Department of Homeland Security announced it would designate Lebanon with Temporary Protected Status. This would allow citizens already living in the United States to obtain work permits and be protected from deportation. The designation is valid for 18 months and applies to all citizens who were in the U.S. on or before Wednesday.
TPS provides protection to nationals of countries deemed unsafe to return to, based on three grounds: ongoing armed conflict, environmental disaster, or “extraordinary and temporary circumstances.” .
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Debris and damage surround the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, October 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
The designation was announced due to “the ongoing armed conflict in Lebanon and the extraordinary and temporary circumstances that prevent the safe return of Lebanese nationals.”
“Those approved for TPS can remain in the country while the United States engages in discussions to achieve a diplomatic solution for lasting stability and security on the Israel-Lebanon border,” DHS said. said in a press release.
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Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas speaks during a press conference at the White House on October 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Israel recently launched a ground invasion in Lebanon against Iran-backed Hezbollah, which fired thousands of rockets at Israel. Israel launched “limited, localized and targeted ground operations” in Lebanon on October 1. Lebanon announced that more than 2,300 people have been killed in the past year and 77% of public schools have closed or closed. Use as a shelter or place in conflict-affected areas.
The TPS designation follows President Biden's move in July to grant Deferred Deportation (DED) to certain Lebanese nationals for 18 months. However, TPS is not just an executive act by the president; it functions as an immigration benefit.
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DHS estimates that approximately 11,000 Lebanese citizens are eligible for protection under the DED or TPS.
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This is the administration's latest, and in some cases controversial, use of TPS. Conservatives are furious that TPS is being used to protect Haitians and Venezuelans who are allowed to enter the United States on parole through another program during the Biden administration.
Fox News' Bill Melugin and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
