In a notice published in the Federal Register on September 22, 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for Syria will be terminated, effective November 21, 2025.
Quick Hits
- On September 22, 2025, DHS published a notice in the Federal Register announcing the termination of the TPS designation for Syria, effective November 21, 2025.
- The TPS designation was created to provide temporary status to foreign nationals in the United States unable to return to their home countries due to events or circumstances present in the countries, such as natural disasters, armed conflicts, or other extraordinary conditions.
- The announcement continues the increasing trend of terminating countries’ TPS designations.
On September 22, 2025, DHS announced that the TPS designation for Syria will be terminated, effective November 21, 2025. This continues a trend of TPS terminations, following Honduras’s and Nicaragua’s expirations earlier in September 2025.
The TPS designation was created to provide temporary status to foreign nationals in the United States unable to return to their home countries due to events or circumstances present in the countries, such as natural disasters, armed conflicts, or other extraordinary conditions. During the designated TPS period, TPS beneficiaries are not removable from the United States, can obtain work authorization (EAD), and can apply for travel authorization. DHS regulations require that any rescission of TPS benefits be accompanied by a sixty-day notice period.
Recently, DHS has terminated TPS programs for several countries, reducing the number of eligible countries from sixteen to nine. Additionally, the budget reconciliation bill known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (“OBBBA”), signed into law on July 4, 2025, introduced new work authorization limits for TPS holders, limiting their initial employment authorization to either one year or the duration of the TPS designation period, whichever is shorter. Employees with I-765 applications pending or filed on or after July 22, 2025, are no longer eligible for automatic extensions.
TPS-based Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) for certain countries may be automatically extended through the publication of a Federal Register notice (FRN) for a specific TPS-designated country. If an FRN automatically extends a country’s TPS-based EAD cards, employees can present their expired EAD cards as proof of identity and work authorization for the duration of the extension period specified in the FRN. An employee may not be issued a new EAD. USCIS may also grant an automatic extension of a TPS-based EAD by sending an individual notice to the employee. An employee can present the USCIS-provided notice along with the employee’s facially valid, expired, or expiring EAD card as proof of identity and employment authorization for the duration of the period listed on the notice.
As of September 2024, approximately one million individuals were living in the United States under TPS designation.
Please see the tables below for an update on both active and terminated TPS Programs, as of September 25, 2025.
Active TPS Programs
Terminated TPS Programs
Next Steps
Humanitarian-based EAD programs, including TPS, are subject to frequent updates, and it is important for employers to stay informed. An internal protocol for tracking updates and monitoring compliance is recommended.
Reviewing ongoing compliance requirements and understanding I-9 documentation obligations remain the most proactive methods for ensuring employers remain compliant. A Status Change Report is available for E-Verify employers through the E-Verify system to monitor rescission of EADs under humanitarian programs that were valid when E-Verify was initially completed.
