news

U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06) led 26 of her colleagues in requesting the Trump Administration to redesignate Lebanon for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) because of ongoing civil unrest and armed conflict in the country. The initial 18-month protected status designation is set to expire on Wednesday, May 27. In a letter to the heads of the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State, the lawmakers stressed that the United States must extend TPS for Lebanon and continue providing refuge to Lebanese nationals escaping crisis. 

“The United States has long offered refuge to those seeking shelter from catastrophe. The ongoing unrest in the Middle East and the complex crisis in Lebanon provide an imperative to honor this commitment and support Lebanese nationals in their time of need. As such, we urge the administration to redesignate and extend TPS for Lebanese nationals before its scheduled expiration on May 27, 2026,” the lawmakers wrote.

In addition to Congresswoman Dingell, the effort is supported by U.S. Representatives Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-MI-08), Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05), Jim McGovern (D-MA-02), Julia Brownley (D-CA-26), Betty McCollum (D-MN-04), Mark Pocan (D-WI-02), Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC-AL), Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL-01), Jesus Garcia (D-IL-04), Greg Casar (D-TX-35), Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20), Andre Carson (D-IN-07), Stephen Lynch (D-MA-08), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Angie Craig (D-MN-02), Danny Davis (D-IL-07), Hank Johnson (D-GA-04), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-07), Deborah Ross (D-NC-02), Shri Thanedar (D-MI-13), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA-10), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO-05), Maxine Dexter (D-OR-03).

A copy of the letter can be found HERE and text is below:

Dear Secretary Mullin and Secretary Rubio:

This letter respectfully requests the Department of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Department of State, to redesignate Lebanon for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). We urge you to continue to protect Lebanese nationals who are currently in the United States and permit those affected by the ongoing crises in Lebanon to continue to find safe haven in our country by extending the initial 18-month TPS designation scheduled to expire on May 27, 2026.

The situation in Lebanon remains unstable and the conditions needed for safe and dignified return for TPS-holders are not yet in place. The country is experiencing continued civil unrest and an escalating armed conflict that has extended from the country’s Southern Border to the Bekaa Valley and Southern Suburbs of Beirut, posing significant threat to civilian safety. The conflict has caused more than 1 million people, or 20 percent of the country’s population, to flee from the south to other regions of the country where they are living as Internally Displaced Persons. Missile strikes have occurred regularly throughout the past two months, killing numerous civilians and worsening the humanitarian crisis. This armed conflict and foreign intervention continue to generate significant instability and dangerous conditions for civilians.

In addition, to the security concerns, Lebanon’s socioeconomic conditions remain strained. The country is still recovering from a prolonged three-year stalemate that has impacted governance, economic stability, and public services. While there have been signs of progress, essential systems continue to struggle as a result of the ongoing crises.

The United States has long offered refuge to those seeking shelter from catastrophe. The ongoing unrest in the Middle East and the complex crisis in Lebanon provide an imperative to honor this commitment and support Lebanese nationals in their time of need. As such, we urge the administration to redesignate and extend TPS for Lebanese nationals before its scheduled expiration on May 27, 2026.

We appreciate your consideration of this request and look forward to your response.