US Department of Homeland Security Ends Temporary Protection for Syrians, Urges Departure

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced the start of the implementation of a decision to end the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program for Syrians, urging all beneficiaries without another legal status to leave the country and warning them of possible removal.

Decision details

In a statement released yesterday, the department said Syria now joins a list of countries—Haiti, Yemen, Afghanistan, Cameroon, Nepal, Honduras, Nicaragua, Venezuela, South Sudan, Myanmar and Somalia—where TPS has been terminated. USCIS confirmed the termination will take effect on July 27, 2026, and that work permits issued under the program are no longer valid.

Weeks before the decision took effect, the Trump administration extended work authorizations for hundreds of thousands of TPS holders, including Syrians, just hours before the original authorizations expired. According to Congressional Research Service data from March 2025, about 3,860 Syrians were covered by TPS in the United States.

Context and expected impact

The U.S. Supreme Court in June upheld the administration’s move to end TPS for roughly 1.3 million migrants from 17 countries, including Syria, after overturning a federal court order that had paused the rollout. Immigration lawyers and rights groups criticized the ruling as exposing thousands of Syrians to unsafe return conditions and suggested possible racial motives.

Labor unions warned of “chaos in workplaces” if work permits are not extended, citing the risk of disrupting key economic sectors. The Department of Homeland Security said the decision follows a Justice Department appeal to the Supreme Court and comes after the program, first created in 2012, was repeatedly renewed.

Syrian TPS beneficiaries now face a difficult choice: depart the United States or seek an alternative legal status to avoid deportation.