The Department of Homeland Security has revoked deportation protections for Yemenis living in the United States, ordering them to return home, according to a draft press release obtained by the Daily Caller.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced Friday that Yemen no longer meets the statutory requirements for Temporary Protected Status after a department review of conditions in the country. She said ending the designation would protect national security interests while returning the program to its original temporary intent.
“Allowing TPS Yemen beneficiaries to remain temporarily in the United States is contrary to our national interest,” Noem wrote. “We are prioritizing our national security interests and putting America first.”
The decision affects approximately 2,810 current TPS holders and another 425 with pending applications.
The move is the latest in a series of TPS terminations by the Trump administration. DHS ended protections for Somali nationals in January amid a fraud scandal in which some diaspora — particularly in Minnesota — have been accused of stealing millions in taxpayer dollars. In November, the department revoked status for South Sudanese nationals — some of whom face deportation after more than 14 years.
