US Homeland Security chief ends temporary protected status for Yemen

WASHINGTON

US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem on Friday announced a decision to end temporary deportation protections for Yemenis living in the country.

"After reviewing conditions in the country and consulting with appropriate U.S. government agencies, I determined that Yemen no longer meets the law’s requirements to be designated for Temporary Protected Status,” Noem said in a statement.

Allowing the beneficiaries to remain temporarily in the US is contrary to the national interest, she added.

The decision will take effect 60 days after it is published in the Federal Register and after the effective date of the termination, the department may arrest and deport any Yemeni national without status once their TPS has been terminated, according to the statement.

It was not immediately clear how many individuals could be impacted by the decision.

Yemen was first granted Temporary Protected Status on Sept. 3, 2015, due to ongoing armed conflict threatening the safety of returning nationals. The designation was subsequently extended or redesignated multiple times through 2024.