WASHINGTON, DC - Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas announced in a statement Tuesday that his department will be extending temporary protected status (TPS) to Yemeni nationals for 18 more months.
Former acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) director under President Donald Trump, Tom Homan, blasted the move as an "extreme risk for this country’s security and safety." Yemeni Houthi rebels supported by Iran have been attacking American and European flagged vessels in the Red Sea since the October 7th attack on Israel in support of Hamas.
As reported by Fox News, Mayorkas said in a statement, "Yemen has been in a state of protracted conflict for the past decade, severely limiting civilians’ access to water, food, and medical care, pushing the country to the brink of economic collapse, and preventing Yemeni nationals living abroad from safely returning home."
Further, he claimed, "The steps the Department of Homeland Security has taken today will allow certain Yemenis currently residing in the United States to remain and work here until conditions in their home country improve."
Former ICE Director Homan told Fox News, "Yemen is a special interest alien country. We got to be careful of who we are allowing into the country because they have terrorist ties. We have already shown our current vetting is not as sufficient to keep us out of harm’s way, because most people with terrorist ties, terrorists in this world – you can’t find them in any database. "
He added, "We don’t know who most terrorists [are], so I think it’s an extreme risk for this country’s security and safety."
The Houthi rebels of Yemen were declared a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist group" in January by the U.S. State Department with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, noting, "Since November, the Houthis have launched unprecedented attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, as well as military forces positioned in the area to defend the safety and security of commercial shipping."
As previously reported by Law Enforcement Today US and UK naval forces have been repelling Houthi attacks in the Red Sea for nearly a year.
In February, two US Navy SEALs were tragically lost while detaining four men carrying Pakistani identification who were smuggling suspected Iranian weapons for the Houthis. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said in a press release at the time, "The flow of missiles and other advanced weaponry from Iran to Houthi rebel forces in Yemen threatens the people and interests of America and our partners in the region."
Former acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) director under President Donald Trump, Tom Homan, blasted the move as an "extreme risk for this country’s security and safety." Yemeni Houthi rebels supported by Iran have been attacking American and European flagged vessels in the Red Sea since the October 7th attack on Israel in support of Hamas.
As reported by Fox News, Mayorkas said in a statement, "Yemen has been in a state of protracted conflict for the past decade, severely limiting civilians’ access to water, food, and medical care, pushing the country to the brink of economic collapse, and preventing Yemeni nationals living abroad from safely returning home."
Further, he claimed, "The steps the Department of Homeland Security has taken today will allow certain Yemenis currently residing in the United States to remain and work here until conditions in their home country improve."
Homeland Security noted in the statement that TPS will allow approximately 1,700 Yemeni nationals as well as "individuals having no nationality who last habitually resided in Yemen" who've continually resided in the U.S. since July 2nd, 2024 to file for TPS and even Employment Authorization. Approximately 2,300 Yemeni nationals in the U.S. are benefitting from this status already.NEW: Today @SecMayorkas announced the extension and redesignation of Yemen for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months, from Sept. 4, 2024, to March 3, 2026. This does not apply for anyone who was not already in the U.S. on July 2, 2024. ⤵️https://t.co/h5cz8vbWjI pic.twitter.com/9MBq9fxgc9
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) July 8, 2024
Former ICE Director Homan told Fox News, "Yemen is a special interest alien country. We got to be careful of who we are allowing into the country because they have terrorist ties. We have already shown our current vetting is not as sufficient to keep us out of harm’s way, because most people with terrorist ties, terrorists in this world – you can’t find them in any database. "
He added, "We don’t know who most terrorists [are], so I think it’s an extreme risk for this country’s security and safety."
The Houthi rebels of Yemen were declared a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist group" in January by the U.S. State Department with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, noting, "Since November, the Houthis have launched unprecedented attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, as well as military forces positioned in the area to defend the safety and security of commercial shipping."
As previously reported by Law Enforcement Today US and UK naval forces have been repelling Houthi attacks in the Red Sea for nearly a year.
In February, two US Navy SEALs were tragically lost while detaining four men carrying Pakistani identification who were smuggling suspected Iranian weapons for the Houthis. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said in a press release at the time, "The flow of missiles and other advanced weaponry from Iran to Houthi rebel forces in Yemen threatens the people and interests of America and our partners in the region."
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