The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced Friday an extension of protected status for some 6,700 Syrian refugees living in the United States.
Acting DHS Secretary David Pekoske said the department would extend Temporary Protected Status through September of 2022 and allow 1,800 more Syrians to apply for the status.
“The Syrian civil war continues to demonstrate deliberate targeting of civilians, the use of chemical weapons and irregular warfare tactics, and use of child soldiers,” DHS said in a statement.
“The war has also caused sustained need for humanitarian assistance, an increase in refugees and displaced people, food insecurity, limited access to water and medical care, and large-scale destruction of Syria’s infrastructure. These conditions prevent Syrian nationals from safely returning,” the department added.
The administration of former president Donald Trump twice extended TPS status for Syrians due to the ongoing conflict in Syria, according to Reuters.
