Washington, D.C. | www.adc.org | October 1, 2024 —Today, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) officially requested DHS Secretary Mayorkas and Secretary of State Antony Blinken designate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Lebanese citizens currently in the US, and to establish a humanitarian parole program for Lebanese citizens. These programs will offer important protections to Lebanese citizens who are seeking safety from Israel’s expanding regional war.
Over the past week, Israel has expanded its nearly 12-month genocide and war of aggression in Palestine to Lebanon. The advancement of this war poses a significant danger to Lebanese life and is a serious threat to those forced to return there. Non-stop bombardment by Israel on the capital of Beirut has resulted in the death of over 1,000 individuals, injuring thousands, and displacing over 1 million residents of Lebanon.
Israel has also destroyed the country’s infrastructure and has severely limited access to humanitarian aid and basic necessities. The start of a ground invasion by Israel across the Lebanese border has made it eminently clear that Lebanese civilians are unable to return home without a significant threat to their safety and well-being.
ADC National Executive Director Abed Ayoub said, “The facts make it clear that Israel’s expanding regional war of aggression has compounded the political, economic, and humanitarian crises in Lebanon, making Lebanese citizens’ safe return home untenable and requiring a legal and safe pathway for those in Lebanon to find refuge. We call on the Biden-Harris Administration to do the right thing and provide these protections immediately.”
The ADC Legal Department is assisting nationals of Lebanon in the U.S. who are seeking guidance with their immigration matters. For questions on this request or other immigration issues, please get in touch with the ADC Legal Department at [email protected].
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About TPS and Humanitarian Parole
TPS is a temporary protection that allows people from a designated country to remain in the United States while conditions in their home country make safe return impossible. The Secretary of Homeland Security can designate a country for TPS if a country is experiencing ongoing armed conflict. Humanitarian parole is a temporary protection that enables individuals from a designated country to travel to and stay in the United States for urgent humanitarian reasons. Parole into the United States can be the difference between life and death.
About ADC
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) is the largest Arab American grassroots organization in the U.S., founded in 1980 by former Senator James Abourezk. ADC’s mission is to defend and promote the human rights, civil rights, and liberties of at least 3.7 million Arab Americans residing in the United States. Through its work, the ADC fights discrimination in the U.S., enhances public understanding of Arab history and culture, and partners with marginalized communities globally to advance social justice.
For Immediate Release
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