Biden Administration extends temporary residency status for Syrians in U.S.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The administration of newly inaugurated U.S. President Joe Biden has extended the temporary residency status to a few thousand Syrian immigrants in the U.S.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced that Acting Minister David Pekoske would extend the temporary residency status of about 6,700 Syrians until 2022. The U.S. will also allow another 1,800 Syrians to submit immigration applications.

This new decision gives immigrants, who are unable to return to their country due to natural disasters or armed conflicts, the possibility to legally stay and work in the U.S. for a specified period that can be renewed.

The decision is in line with the pledges Biden during his presidential campaign about adopting a more tolerant approach towards refugees and immigrants, a stark contrast with the policies of his predecessor, Donald Trump, who tightened travel and residence restrictions on people from several countries, especially those with large Muslim populations.