The Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, announced an 18-month extension and re-designation of Somalia for Temporary Protected Status today. The extension will be in effect from September 18th, 2021 - March 17th, 2023.
The Secretary stated in the press release:
Through the extension and re-designation of Somalia for Temporary Protected Status, the United States will be able to offer safety and protection to Somalis who may not be able to return to their country due to ongoing conflict and a worsening humanitarian crisis. We will continue to offer our support to Somali nationals through this temporary form of humanitarian relief.
The press release explains that Mayorkas made this decision to extend and re-designate Somalia for TPS after “consultation with interagency partners” and “careful consideration of the ongoing armed conflict and extraordinary and temporary conditions in Somalia,” citing a “dramatic upsurge in violence” amid “severe drought, and flooding” disease outbreaks like Covid-19 and cholera. “These conditions prevent Somali nationals and habitual residents [illegal aliens] from returning to Somalia safely,” the explanation concludes.
The extension of TPS allows approximately 447 current Somali beneficiaries to retain TPS through March 17, 2023. The re-designation of TPS also allows additional Somali aliens “or individuals having no nationality who last habitually resided in Somalia,” who have been continuously residing in the United States since July 19, 2021, to file applications for Temporary Protected Status.
A Federal Register notice explaining the procedures necessary to re-register or submit an initial registration application and apply for an EAD will be published soon.
To view the complete release, please visit DHS.gov.
