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European countries are curbing asylum cases filed by Syrian migrants in the wake of the fall of dictator Bashar al-Assad, but it remains unclear whether the US will take similar steps.
The UK and Norway, along with the EU countries of Austria, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Finland, Ireland and Sweden, have suspended applications from Syrians after the fall of the Assad regime.
While it does not necessarily mean that these people will be returned to Syria, it puts these applications in limbo in a continent that saw a massive increase in Syrian migration during the 2015 European migration crisis.
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The European Union has also said that there are currently no conditions for the safe return of nationals to Syria.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad seen during the signing of the comprehensive long-term strategic cooperation program between Iran and Syria on May 3, 2023, in Damascus, Syria. (Photo by Borna News/Matin Ghasemi/Aksonline ATPImages/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
While Europe has seen a considerably larger influx of migrants from Syria than in the US, it is unclear how these cases will change in the US, if at all, given the changing political dynamics in the Middle Eastern country.
USCIS handles asylum cases, and asylum officers are instructed to consider changes in circumstances when considering these cases. Therefore, if an applicant’s country becomes more stable, the consideration of this case changes dynamically. Therefore, if Syria stabilizes, it may be more difficult for Syrians to receive a positive decision on their cases.
But so far, there have been no pauses in Syrian asylum cases announced by the Biden administration. The White House did not respond to requests for comment on the matter.
Migrants and refugees line up at the central registration center for refugees and asylum seekers LaGeSo (Landesamt fuer Gesundheit und Soziales – State Office of Health and Social Affairs) LaGeSo in Berlin, Germany, Monday, January 4, 2016. ((AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File))
One factor that could change next year is temporary protected status, which grants protection from deportation and work permits to nationals of countries deemed unsafe. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas extended and redesignated Syria for TPS in January, and it runs until September 2025.
Should the Trump administration choose not to extend or redesignate Syria for TPS, it would require those who are no longer protected from deportation and do not have other legal status to leave the US or face deportation.
However, the number of Syrians protected by TPS is relatively small, compared to other nationalities and the situation in Europe. DHS estimated that about 8,000 Syrians were eligible for TPS in January.
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The Center for Immigration Studies cited statistics showing that the number of Syrians granted asylum between 2011 and 2023 was just over 7,000. Meanwhile, data obtained from Fox News Digital this week shows that there are 741 Syrians with deportation orders on Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) non-detainer file. In Europe, some 183,000 Syrians applied for asylum in 2023, according to the Associated Press.
The UN refugee agency has called for “patience and vigilance” for Syrian migrants, arguing that much will depend on whether Syria’s new government respects law and order.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
