AHRC continues its call for the DHS to grant Yemeni nationals residing in the USA the temporary relief of Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Over the years, the government has offered Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to nationals and long-term-residents that are living in the US out of legal status and/or are facing removal to countries experiencing natural disasters or conflicts. A number of countries have received TPS designation over the years- among them Lebanon, Afghanistan, Libya, Iraq, Syria and several others. This is a temporary relief that does not grant permanent residence or make the beneficiary eligible to apply for citizenship. AHRC hopes that the DHS, per its usual procedures, will exercise its discretion to grant this temporary relief to the nationals of Yemen currently in the USA. Many Yemeni citizens on temporary visas that expired or are about to expire are living in fear of removal to a country that is experiencing serious conflict. This conflict is serious enough for the State Department to issue a Yemen Travel Warning to close the US embassy in Yemen and remove its staff from the country. AHRC had learned from many Yemenis who are afraid to leave the US and anxious about living in the US out of legal status. We have also heard from a few others who, despite the clear and known danger, have tried unsuccessfully book travel to Yemen but no flights were available.
“We continue to advocate for the granting of TPS for Yemeni nationals. It is an act of the American good will and over the years many countries have been designated for TPS” said Imad Hamad, AHRC Executive Director. “We are not asking for special treatment for Yemenis. Yemen today is a textbook case of a country deserving TPS status” continued Hamad.