MIAMI (AP) — The Trump administration has extended protections shielding around 11,000 Lebanese immigrants, giving them a further six months to remain and work in the United States.
The decision, announced Thursday by the Department of Homeland Security, is a rare reprieve for those covered by temporary measures that left Republicans furious. The move comes amid ongoing fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon.
The extension was automatic. The department missed the deadline to decide whether the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for Lebanese people living here should continue; by law, failing to meet the deadline automatically triggers a six‑month extension. Thus, existing beneficiaries will keep their protections until November 27 2026, provided they still meet the eligibility requirements.
DHS noted that former Secretary Kristi Noem and current Secretary Markwayne Mullin were “unable to make an informed determination on Lebanon’s TPS designation” by the March 28 deadline.
The work permits that had already been issued for Lebanese TPS holders will remain valid until the same date.
This extension is peculiar against the backdrop of the Trump administration’s broader pattern of ending TPS for nationals of 13 other countries, including Venezuela, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Syria. TPS, created by Congress in 1990, was designed to prevent deportations to nations suffering from natural disasters or civil conflict. Once granted, beneficiaries can stay for up to 18 months, applying for work authorization.
The Biden administration has significantly expanded TPS usage, but the Trump administration’s policy was largely the opposite. The unexpected extension is a compromise amid international and domestic pressure.
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The article was contributed to by Associated Press writer Rebecca Santana.
The decision, announced Thursday by the Department of Homeland Security, is a rare reprieve for those covered by temporary measures that left Republicans furious. The move comes amid ongoing fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon.
The extension was automatic. The department missed the deadline to decide whether the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for Lebanese people living here should continue; by law, failing to meet the deadline automatically triggers a six‑month extension. Thus, existing beneficiaries will keep their protections until November 27 2026, provided they still meet the eligibility requirements.
DHS noted that former Secretary Kristi Noem and current Secretary Markwayne Mullin were “unable to make an informed determination on Lebanon’s TPS designation” by the March 28 deadline.
The work permits that had already been issued for Lebanese TPS holders will remain valid until the same date.
This extension is peculiar against the backdrop of the Trump administration’s broader pattern of ending TPS for nationals of 13 other countries, including Venezuela, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Syria. TPS, created by Congress in 1990, was designed to prevent deportations to nations suffering from natural disasters or civil conflict. Once granted, beneficiaries can stay for up to 18 months, applying for work authorization.
The Biden administration has significantly expanded TPS usage, but the Trump administration’s policy was largely the opposite. The unexpected extension is a compromise amid international and domestic pressure.
---
The article was contributed to by Associated Press writer Rebecca Santana.
