The Trump administration has declared it will terminate temporary asylum protections for approximately 10,000 Myanmar nationals residing in the United States, a move that has ignited significant controversy and concern from human rights advocates.
DHS Justifies Termination Amidst Ongoing Conflict
On Monday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the official termination of Burma's (Myanmar) designation for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). The order, detailed in a post on the Federal Register, is scheduled to take effect in 60 days.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem led the decision, claiming that after a review of conditions in Myanmar and consultations with other US government agencies, the country "no longer continues to meet the conditions" required for TPS. The DHS order stated that armed ethnic groups have made "tangible gains in governance and public services," suggesting improved stability.
This rationale stands in stark contrast to the reality on the ground. Myanmar is ruled by a military dictatorship with a long and well-documented record of executing dissidents and those involved in pro-democracy movements.
A Pattern of Revoking Humanitarian Protections
The decision concerning Myanmar is not an isolated incident. The Trump administration has systematically withdrawn TPS relief for several nations as part of a broader overhaul of US immigration policy. Countries affected include:
- Afghanistan
- Cameroon
- Honduras
- Nepal
- Nicaragua
- South Sudan
- Venezuela
The TPS programme permits immigrants from designated countries to live and work legally in the US for up to 18 months at a time when safe return is impossible due to circumstances like ongoing armed conflict or environmental disasters. The status is typically renewable.
Myanmar was first granted TPS in May 2021 under the Biden administration due to "extraordinary and temporary conditions." This designation was extended for 18 months in 2022 and again in March 2024, with protections set to last until November of this year.
Widespread Condemnation and Legal Challenges
The move to end protections for Myanmar nationals follows a vigorous campaign by the US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) and dozens of other relief organisations to maintain the designation.
Eskinder Negash, President of USCRI, argued that the United States has a "moral and legal obligation to protect those who cannot safely return to Myanmar," calling the protected status "not just compassionate – it's essential."
This decision arrives just two days after the administration also terminated TPS for Somali immigrants in Minnesota. Each time the Trump administration has moved to end TPS, it has faced substantial legal hurdles. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) warned that these actions have placed over 675,000 people at immediate risk of family separation, detention, and deportation.
Referring to the recent termination of TPS for around 260,000 Venezuelans, Haddy Gassama, senior policy counsel at the ACLU, described it as "an inflection point in the Trump administration's broader effort to attack TPS and other humanitarian protections."
According to the Pew Research Center, an estimated 240,000 people in the US identified as Burmese in 2023, highlighting the potential scale of impact on this community.
