In view of the unrest in Syria, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano announced Friday that all Syrian nationals currently in the country would be granted temporary protected status.

"Conditions in Syria have worsened to the point where Syrian nationals already in the United States would face serious threats to their personal safety if they were to return to their home country," Napolitano wrote in a press release on the Department of Homeland Security website.

Temporary protected status (TPS) will allow Syrians currently in the country to remain and obtain work authorization. However, TPS does not lead to a green card and all protected persons will revert to their previous immigration status once TPS is lifted.

Early this week, Homeland Security is set to issue guidelines on how individuals can register for TPS. We expect that the typical grounds for exclusion - criminal activity, terrorist ties, etc. - will apply. If you have any questions about your specific case, please give us a call at 202-785-1960 or e-mail us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .