The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) announcement of temporary immigration protections for eligible Lebanese nationals currently residing in the United States, including Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) and a new designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Lebanon.
While these measures provide some relief, CAIR stresses that these measures fall far short of addressing the rising death toll and widespread destruction resulting from Israeli attacks on Lebanon using American weapons.
SEE: DHS Offers Protections for Lebanese Nationals Currently in the United States
TPS allows Lebanese nationals who have been continuously residing in the U.S. since October 16, 2024, to apply for work authorization and remain in the country temporarily for only 18 months. Lebanon is currently engulfed in a devastating crisis—its cities and villages shattered by relentless bombings, widespread destruction, and a humanitarian emergency that has left countless civilians in peril and over 2,500 dead.
To register for TPS, applicants must file Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status, with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Eligible Lebanese nationals covered under the July 2024 DED grant may also apply for Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) valid through January 25, 2026. The DHS has introduced Special Student Relief (SSR) measures for F-1 nonimmigrant students from Lebanon, allowing for increased employment opportunities and reduced course loads while maintaining visa status.
“We welcome the Biden administration’s decision to extend Temporary Protected Status to Lebanese nationals, but TPS is not even a band-aid on the Israeli atrocities unfolding in Lebanon,” said CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert S. McCaw. “The humanitarian crisis there is fueled by ongoing Israeli attacks – using American weapons – leaving civilians trapped in devastating conditions. While TPS offers temporary relief, it does not address the root cause of the suffering. The administration must take urgent and decisive action to halt the violence in Lebanon by working toward a solution that prioritizes civilian safety and regional stability. We call on the Biden administration to not only provide humanitarian assistance but to actively work to end the Israeli violence that has devastated Lebanon. Without concrete action, temporary protections like TPS will remain a superficial measure that fails to resolve the conflict.”
For more information on the TPS, DED, and Special Student Relief provisions, please visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website or contact CAIR for further assistance.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com