European countries put freeze on Syrian asylum claims after Assad’s fall, unclear if US will follow
Countries in Europe have begun to halt the processing of asylum applications filed by Syrian migrants following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, sparking questions about whether the United States will follow suit. The United Kingdom, Norway, and several European Union countries, including Austria, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Finland, Ireland, and Sweden, have paused applications from Syrians in light of the regime change.
While this does not automatically mean that individuals will be sent back to Syria, it does leave their applications in a state of uncertainty in a region that experienced a significant influx of Syrian migrants during the 2015 European migration crisis. The European Union has also stated that conditions are currently not conducive for the safe return of nationals to Syria.
Europe has seen a much larger wave of Syrian migrants compared to the United States, raising questions about how asylum cases in the U.S. will be affected by the shifting political landscape in Syria. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services handle asylum cases, with asylum officers instructed to take into account changes in circumstances when evaluating these cases. If a country becomes more stable, it could impact the outcome of asylum applications. Therefore, if Syria stabilizes, it may become more challenging for Syrians to receive approval for their asylum cases.
As of now, the Biden administration has not announced any pauses on Syrian asylum cases. The White House has yet to provide a response on the matter. One potential development to watch in the coming year is Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which offers protection from deportation and work permits to nationals from countries deemed unsafe. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas extended and redesignated Syria for TPS until September 2025.
Should the Trump administration opt not to extend or redesignate Syria for TPS, individuals who lose protection from deportation and lack another legal status would be required to leave the U.S. or face deportation. However, the number of Syrians covered under TPS is relatively small compared to other nationalities and the situation in Europe. In January, DHS estimated that around 8,000 Syrians were eligible for TPS.
Data from the Center for Immigration Studies indicates that just over 7,000 Syrians were granted asylum between 2011 and 2023. Additionally, there are 741 Syrians with deportation orders on Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) non-detained docket. In Europe, approximately 183,000 Syrians applied for asylum in 2023, according to the Associated Press.
The United Nations refugee agency has emphasized the importance of “patience and vigilance” for Syrian migrants, highlighting the significance of Syria’s new government in upholding law and order. It remains to be seen how the U.S. will navigate asylum cases for Syrian migrants in light of these developments.
Adam Shaw is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, specializing in immigration and border security. For inquiries, he can be contacted at adam.shaw2@fox.com or on Twitter.
