US homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, announced the end of temporary protected status (TPS) for Yemen on Friday, the latest move by Donald Trump’s administration targeting immigrants.
The decision to end humanitarian protections that grant deportation relief and work permits to more than a thousand Yemenis in the US was taken after determining that it was against the US “national interest”, Noem claimed.
According to the National Immigration Forum, there are about 1,380 Yemeni nationals living and working in the US with TPS.
TPS provides relief to people already in the US if their home countries experience a natural disaster, armed conflict or other extraordinary events. The Trump administration has sought to end most enrollment in the program – and tried to strip the status from a string of countries, including Haiti, Somalia and Venezuela – saying it runs counter to US interests. However, many of these attempts have been challenged and blocked in federal court.
The designation will now officially terminate for Yemeni immigrants 60 days after the notice is published in the Federal Register. The status was last extended in 2024 and is set to expire on 3 March this year.
“After reviewing conditions in the country and consulting with appropriate US government agencies, I determined that Yemen no longer meets the law’s requirements to be designated for temporary protected status,” said Noem. “TPS was designed to be temporary, and this administration is returning TPS to its original temporary intent. We are prioritizing our national security interests and putting America first.”
The state department designates Yemen as a level four “do not travel” country due to to risk of terrorism, unrest, crime, health risks, kidnapping and landmines.
Reuters contributed reporting
