US to End Temporary Protected Status for Yemeni Refugees and Asylum Seekers

US Ends Temporary Protected Status for Yemenis

The United States government has announced that it will be ending the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for Yemen, requiring over 1,000 Yemeni refugees and asylum seekers living in the country to leave within 60 days. The decision was made by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem as part of a broader immigration crackdown initiated by President Donald Trump.

As of Friday, TPS will be terminated for approximately 1,400 Yemeni nationals who have been granted legal status since September 2015 due to armed conflict in their country. According to the statement released by Secretary Noem, this decision was made after reviewing conditions in Yemen and consulting with relevant US government agencies.

The revocation of TPS for Yemen is set to take effect on March 3, 2024, and those affected will be required to depart the country or face arrest and deportation. The US government has offered a complimentary plane ticket and a $2,600 “exit bonus” to those who choose to self-deport.

The decision comes as Yemen continues to experience ongoing conflict, with the State Department currently advising against travel to the country due to terrorism, unrest, crime, health risks, kidnapping, and landmines. Historically, presidents have continued to renew TPS statuses for refugees and asylum seekers rather than revoking them and rendering them undocumented.

The Trump administration has previously ended TPS designations for Venezuelans, Hondurans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, Somalis, Ukrainians, and thousands of others. The government has also expanded its travel restrictions, imposing a total ban on citizens of 19 countries from entering the US, primarily targeting Muslim-majority and African nations.

Source: Al Jazeera