US to end temporary protected status for Myanmar nationals

The Trump administration has announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Myanmar nationals residing in the United States, the US Department of Homeland Security said.

According to a notice from the US Department of Homeland Security, the status is set to end on Tuesday (November 25), reports Reuters.

The notice, published in the Federal Register, stated that after reviewing the situation in Myanmar and consulting relevant US agencies, the Secretary of Homeland Security determined that Myanmar no longer meets the criteria for TPS.

The termination will take effect within the next two months, it added.

Currently, an estimated 4,000 Myanmar nationals reside in the US under TPS. The status had previously been extended for 18 months under the Biden administration, effective from 26 May 2024 to 25 November 2025.

Since taking office on 20 January, Donald Trump has implemented stricter immigration policies, including terminating TPS for several countries and authorizing nationwide raids targeting undocumented immigrants. These actions have resulted in the detention of hundreds of thousands, many of whom have lived in the US for years, with some deported under harsh conditions.

A recent report by The Guardian noted that even during a prolonged US government shutdown, thousands of immigrants were arrested across the country. Currently, over 65,000 immigrants are held in detention centers, marking a historic high.