The Trump administration has officially declared its intent to end deportation protections for thousands of Syrian migrants, a decision announced by homeland security officials on Friday. This move impacts approximately 6,000 Syrians currently authorized to live and work in the United States under the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program. An additional 1,000 Syrian applicants were awaiting approval as of August, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
“This action represents a return to common sense within America’s immigration system,” stated Tricia McLaughlin, the department’s assistant secretary for public affairs. She asserted that conditions in Syria no longer warrant their nationals remaining in the U.S. McLaughlin further elaborated that given Syria’s history as a hub for terrorism and extremism over two decades, it contradicts national interests to permit Syrians to stay, emphasizing that TPS is inherently a temporary measure.
However, this decision has drawn sharp criticism from some immigration policy experts. They argue that Syria remains unstable and that the notion of Syrians posing significant terrorism risks is unfounded. Although rebels successfully ended the Assad family’s regime late last year after more than a decade of civil war, and Syria’s new leadership aims to distance itself from the previous dictatorship, concerns about ongoing sectarian conflict and violence persist.
Amanda Baran, who previously served as the head of policy for Citizenship and Immigration Services during the Biden administration, expressed profound dismay over the termination. She described it as “gutting for the thousands of Syrians here with T.P.S. and the communities in which they live.” Baran maintained that the dangerous and unstable conditions in Syria clearly justify extending the protections under existing law. She criticized the administration’s perceived disregard for human rights expertise, highlighting the severe repercussions this “reckless decision” will have on ordinary individuals.
Syrian TPS holders will be given a 60-day window to leave the country voluntarily, after which they will face arrest and deportation, as confirmed by department officials. The TPS program for Syrians, initially established in 2012 due to civil warfare and extended multiple times, was previously scheduled to expire on September 30, following an extension granted by the Biden administration.
Ending the TPS program for Syrians is consistent with the Homeland Security Department’s broader strategy to revoke deportation protections for hundreds of thousands of migrants who were temporarily authorized to reside and work in the U.S. This administration has similarly moved to end the status for individuals from various other nations, including Venezuela, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Cameroon, and Afghanistan.
These measures align with the Trump administration’s wider agenda to increase deportations and enforce stricter immigration policies. This includes efforts to terminate other temporary programs, such as a Biden-era initiative that provided protections to migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
Administration officials contend that these protections were always intended to be temporary and that improved conditions in certain countries now make it safe for migrants to return home.
Protections for Syrians have seen multiple extensions over the years. During President Trump’s first term, his administration extended the designation twice, though it notably excluded migrants who arrived in the United States after August 1, 2016. At the time, officials stated that the ongoing armed conflict in Syria justified allowing Syrians already in the country to remain.
The Biden administration extended the TPS program for Syrians three times and also expanded eligibility to include Syrians who had been living in the United States since January 25, 2024.
Many of the Trump administration’s attempts to end deportation protections have faced legal challenges. For instance, when the administration sought to terminate temporary protections for Haitians by September, a federal judge intervened, blocking the action until at least the following year. Before leaving office, President Joseph R. Biden Jr. subsequently extended those specific protections through February 2026.