US to grant Syrians protected immigration status

Homeland Security chief Janet Napolitano says Syria too hazardous for expats to return safely

By AP and ToI Staff 24 March 2012, 4:17 am

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Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano (photo credit: CC BY The National Guard, Flickr)

The Obama administration will allow Syrians in the United States to temporarily stay beyond the expiration of their visas and not deport those in the country illegally due to deteriorating conditions in their native country.

“Conditions in Syria have worsened to the point where Syrian nationals already in the United States would face serious threats to their personal safety if they were to return,” Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano said on Friday.

She said details of the program, including eligibility requirements will be published early next week in the Federal Register.

Syrians in the U.S. have to apply for the status and must undergo a full background check before it is granted. Napolitano encouraged Syrians to apply but said they should not do until the notice is published.

Syria joins El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan on the list of countries whose citizens are eligible for temporary protected status.