Washington, DC, October 17, 2024. The American Task Force on Lebanon (ATFL), a leadership organization of Americans of Lebanese descent, commends Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for announcing a Temporary Protected Status designation in Lebanon for 18 months.
DHS has stated that “[t]he designation of Lebanon for TPS will allow Lebanese nationals (and individuals having no nationality who last habitually resided in Lebanon) who have been continuously residing in the United States since October 16, 2024 to file initial applications for TPS, if they are otherwise eligible.”
Today, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) also posted work authorization applications for Lebanese nationals covered under President Biden’s Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) directive on July 26. Work authorization under the TPS authority will be issued in the coming weeks.
DHS is also announcing a Special Student Relief Notice F-1 for students, which will allow eligible students from Lebanon to request employment authorization and, if needed, reduce their course load so they can work while pursuing their studies.
The US government estimates that 11,000 Lebanese nationals in the US will be eligible for DED and TPS and that 1,740 F-1 students will be eligible for Special Student Relief.
Today, the US Department of State also announced that it is resuming full immigrant visa processing for Lebanese family members of US citizens both at the Beirut Embassy and at all US embassies and consulates across the globe.
“We would like to thank the Biden Administration for taking these actions to support the Lebanese people,” said ATFL President Ed Gabriel. “Today’s announcements offer a lifeline to thousands of Lebanese in the US and Lebanese Americans who want to be reunited with their loved ones in safety. ATFL would like to acknowledge the efforts of Senator Gary Peters, Representative Debbie Dingell, and our board member Manal Saab. The Lebanese American community in Michigan and the Michigan Congressional delegation were crucial to making this effort successful,” he added.
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More Information
The work authorization applications under TPS and DED are not in competition with one another and eligible nationals are encouraged to review which option (or both) is best for their situation.
The key distinction between DED and TPS is that DED is an executive authority that extends the period eligible foreign nationals can remain in the US whereas TPS is a potentially renewable immigration status that eligible foreign nationals must apply for and receive.
ATFL encourages eligible individuals to consider applying for the TPS designation because it is an immigration status. Lebanese nationals may not be eligible for any potential TPS renewals in the future if they do not apply when the application opens.
More information about TPS, including application instructions, will be shared by DHS in the next few weeks.
Click here to read the announcement from DHS
Click here to read the announcement from the State Department
Click here for more information from USCIS
