Washington, D.C. | www.adc.org | January 21, 2021 – The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee filed a formal petition with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security requesting redesignation and extension renewal of TPS for Syria. TPS for Syria is currently designated through March 31, 2021, with a deadline of January 31, 2021 for a decision from DHS on renewal and redesignation. It is our position that the circumstances which warranted the initial granting of TPS for Syria in 2012 still exist.
ADC is calling on the Biden Administration to renew TPS for existing beneficiaries and redesignate the status to allow for new applicants to apply. The current TPS designation does not help many of the Syrian nationals who have been forced to flee Syria into the U.S. since the end of August 1, 2016. With the registration deadline passed, we request renewal and redesignation of Syria for TPS to allow eligible Syrian nationals to register and apply for TPS for the first time.
Syria qualifies for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) because “there is an ongoing armed conflict within the state and, due to such conflict, requiring the return of aliens who are nationals of that state to that state (or to part of the state) would pose a serious threat to their personal safety.” Additionally, the humanitarian crisis caused by the violence has been compounded by the on-going COVID-19 pandemic and lack of medical facilities and treatment in the country. Syria is unable to adequately handle the return of Syrian nationals; and there exist extraordinary conditions in Syria that prevent Syrian nationals from returning to Syria safely.
ADC had been in contact with the Biden-Harris Transition Team regarding this matter. ADC will continue working to ensure that the TPS status for Syria is renewed and redesignated. If you have any questions about TPS from Syria, or other countries, please send an email to legal@adc.org.