U.S. Ends Temporary Protection for Syrians and Urges Eligible to Leave

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced the implementation of the decision to end temporary protection status for Syrians, urging beneficiaries without lawful status to leave under threat of deportation.

In a statement released yesterday, the department stated that Syria has joined the list of countries where the termination of temporary protection for their citizens is now in effect, alongside Haiti, Yemen, Afghanistan, Cameroon, Nepal, Honduras, Nicaragua, Venezuela, South Sudan, Myanmar, and Somalia, according to "Russia Today".

Previously, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services had announced the end of Syria's designation under the Temporary Protected Status program effective July 27, 2026, confirming that work permits issued solely under the program are no longer valid.

Short Extension Before Implementation

Weeks before the decision took effect, on July 10, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump extended work permits for hundreds of thousands of migrants with temporary protection status, including Syrians, just hours before they expired.

Reuters reported that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services confirmed the extension covered citizens from Syria, Ethiopia, Somalia, Yemen, South Sudan, and Myanmar, as a move aimed at providing a transition period before full implementation of the termination decision.

According to the latest available official data from the Congressional Research Service in March 2025, approximately 3,860 Syrians in the United States were covered under temporary protection status.

Legal and human rights organizations, advocates, and members of the local community have expressed concerns about the potential consequences of the Supreme Court ruling, which could strip hundreds of thousands of work permits and protection from deportation, while labor unions warned of "utter chaos within workplaces" and disruption of major economic sectors if permits are not extended.

Supreme Court Paves Way for Termination

The implementation of the decision follows a prior ruling issued by the U.S. Supreme Court last June, which allowed President Donald Trump's administration to proceed with ending protections, after a federal court had temporarily blocked the decision.

On June 25, the Supreme Court permitted the U.S. government to terminate legal protections for migrants fleeing violence and natural disasters, by a vote of six to three, overturning lower court orders, according to the Associated Press.

The ruling allows the Department of Homeland Security to end temporary protection status for approximately 1.3 million people from 17 countries, including Syria, exposing hundreds of thousands to the risk of possible deportation.

The agency noted the decision followed an appeal filed by the Department of Justice after judges had delayed the termination of the program for around 350,000 Haitians and 6,000 Syrians.

Previously, the Supreme Court had allowed the termination of the program for Venezuelan citizens, aligning with the Trump administration's stricter immigration policies.

In contrast, immigration lawyers pointed out that these countries remain unsafe for return, accusing the Trump administration of terminating protection measures hastily and unlawfully, driven by "racist motives".

Protection Began in 2012

The United States included Syria in the Temporary Protected Status program since 2012—a program that grants citizens from countries affected by conflict or natural disasters the right to reside and work in the U.S. temporarily, and has been renewed several times in recent years.

Thousands of Syrians residing in the United States will be affected by the termination of protection, having relied on this legal status for safeguarding against the consequences of war in their home country.