United States-based Lebanese citizens will receive humanitarian aid as the Israel-Hezbollah dispute persists.
The administrative action of the Biden regime to provide Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Lebanon, given the continuing Hezbollah-Israel armed confrontation, follows requests from Lebanese American advocates to both the administration and Vice President Kamala Harris' political campaign.
Officials from the White House have engaged in at least two meetings with Lebanese Americans over the past few weeks, and there have been numerous virtual engagements and phone conversations between Lebanese Americans and individuals within Vice President Harris' team, where the TPS issue was brought up. Some of these interactions took place as recently as this week.
On Thursday, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas declared a 18-month TPS designation for Lebanon "due to the ongoing armed conflict and extraordinary circumstances in Lebanon that make it unsafe for Lebanese nationals to return home." This protection applies to certain Lebanese individuals currently residing in the United States.
"Individuals approved for TPS will be permitted to stay in the country during diplomatic discussions aimed at achieving a lasting resolution to stability and security along the Israel-Lebanon border," stated the government announcement.
In Michigan, a crucial voting bloc for the Arab American community, this decision could enhance Harris' support, according to Lebanese Americans familiar with the discussions. The community, however, is also pressuring the administration to institute humanitarian parole for Lebanese citizens as well.
"Today's announcement of TPS for Lebanon is positive news. This is a crucial step in safeguarding numerous individuals within our community, and I applaud the administration for this decision," Michigan state Rep. Alabas Farhat told CNN. "TPS will enable us to safeguard Lebanese nationals who are already in the United States. Nonetheless, individuals in my district continue to witness the demise of their loved ones abroad. I implore this administration to also implement humanitarian parole for Lebanese citizens."
The Biden administration has additionally faced demands to implement this action from legislators. In an October letter directed towards President Joe Biden, Sens. Gary Peters, Dick Durbin, and Ben Cardin requested that Lebanon be assigned TPS due to the deteriorating humanitarian situation. They issued a similar plea in June.
Earlier this year, Biden offered Lebanese nationals in the United States temporary safeguards against deportation. The president holds the power to authorize deferred enforced departure, which shields those covered from removal from the US for a specific duration. Those who meet the criteria are also eligible for work permits.
This administrative action by the Biden regime, aiming to provide TPS to Lebanon due to the ongoing Hezbollah-Israel armed confrontation, aligns with legislative requests from Senators Gary Peters, Dick Durbin, and Ben Cardin, as stated in an October letter. Furthermore, the TPS decision could potentially strengthen Vice President Kamala Harris' support in Michigan, a significant voting bloc for the Arab American community.
