The Department of Homeland Security announced on Monday August 1 that it would re-designate Syria for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) through March 2018. When a country is designated for TPS, nationals of that country and non-nationals whose last place of residence was the designated country are eligible to apply for temporary protected status.  What this means is that Syrian immigrants and refugees already present in the United States who are granted TPS for Syrians are not removable from the United States based on their immigration status, can obtain an employment authorization, and may be granted travel authorization.