Temporary protected status terminated for Yemen nationals

By Sarah Roderick-Fitch
The Center Square

Yemeni nationals in the U.S. on temporary protective status will have 60 days to leave the country.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the termination of the protected status for nationals of the Gulf Arab state, which was initially granted Sept. 3, 2015, citing an “ongoing armed conflict” that could “pose a serious threat” to Yemeni nationals if they were to return.

“After reviewing conditions in the country and consulting with appropriate U.S. government agencies, I determined that Yemen no longer meets the law’s requirement to be designated for Temporary Protected Status,” Noem said in a statement. “Allowing TPS Yemen beneficiaries to remain temporarily in the United States is contrary to our national interest. 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.”

Since 2015, Yemeni nationals have had TPS extended six times – most recently in 2024, the last year of former President Joe Biden’s presidency. His administration extended it three times.

DHS says that Yemen nationals with “no other lawful basis” for remaining in the U.S. have 60 days to “voluntarily” leave the country. The nationals are encouraged to utilize the U.S. Customs and Border Protection app, which “provides a safe, secure way to self-deport,” which includes a “complimentary plane ticket, a $2,600 exit bonus, and potential future opportunities for legal immigration.”

However, if they don’t leave, the Yemeni nationals in the country on TPS voluntarily, they are subject to being arrested and deported, and “may never be allowed to return to the United States.”