On November 24, 2025, the Trump Administration did something both dangerous and stunningly dishonest: it announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nearly 3,000 Burmese refugees living safely in the United States.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem justified the decision by claiming—with a straight face—that “the situation in Burma has improved enough that it is safe for Burmese citizens to return home.” She even described the junta’s planned sham elections as “free and fair” and praised both the junta and China for supposedly creating “successful ceasefire agreements.”
This is not policy.
This is propaganda.
And it directly contradicts the detailed evidence her own department received from more than 150 human rights, religious freedom, refugee, and civil society organizations, all urging an 18-month extension and redesignation of TPS for Burma.
Instead of listening to experts, Noem delivered a statement that provides aid and comfort to a brutal military junta responsible for massacres, political imprisonment, ethnic cleansing, and widespread sexual violence.
Congress must stop this.
What Returning Burmese TPS Holders Actually Means
Let’s be clear about who this policy targets:
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Christians facing persecution well-documented by USCIRF
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Women raped by the Myanmar military
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Civil society leaders and democracy activists
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Young people who opposed the coup
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Elected officials from the pre-coup government
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Religious and ethnic minorities, including Rohingya and Chin communities
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Anyone of fighting age now threatened by the junta’s forced conscription law
Sending these individuals back to Burma right now is not just reckless—it is knowingly placing them in danger.
And yes, the U.S. State Department still classifies Burma as Level 4: Do Not Travel due to armed conflict, political violence, and arbitrary detentions. But apparently DHS expects refugees to do what Americans are actively warned not to.
The Truth: Burma Is in the Middle of a Multi-Layered Crisis
Secretary Noem’s statement tries to pretend otherwise, but here are the real conditions on the ground:
1. A catastrophic natural disaster
A 7.7-magnitude earthquake this spring killed nearly 3,800 people, injured thousands more, and destroyed hospitals, roads, and critical infrastructure. Relief efforts remain blocked or disrupted by the junta.
2. Escalating civil war
Since the 2021 military coup, over three million people have been displaced. Entire towns have been bombed. Civilians are arrested, tortured, or executed. Ethnic and religious minorities remain targets of widespread atrocities.
3. Forced conscription
The junta reactivated a dormant military draft in 2024, forcing young men and women into service for up to five years—often to participate in the same human rights abuses they fled.
4. Religious and ethnic persecution
Christians, Muslims, Rohingya, Kachin, Chin, Karen, and others remain under threat. Churches have been bombed. Pastors have been detained. Over 600,000 Rohingya remain confined under apartheid-like conditions.
These are exactly the types of “extraordinary and temporary conditions” that TPS was designed for.
TPS Is Not Only a Humanitarian Tool—It Supports U.S. Interests
Extending TPS for Burma aligns with:
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U.S. national security
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Bipartisan Congressional action (including the BURMA Act)
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U.S. sanctions and diplomatic pressure on the junta
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Support for democratic movements and civil society
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Long-standing American commitments to religious freedom and human rights
TPS also strengthens local communities here in the U.S. Burmese TPS holders work, pay taxes, support their families, and contribute to local economies. Redesignation would help an additional 1,000–3,000 people—hardly a “surge,” but life-saving for those who qualify.
This is a measured, responsible policy choice.
Ending TPS is the reckless one.
Why This Decision Matters Right Now
Secretary Noem’s statement does more than end a program. It legitimizes the junta’s narrative, undermines U.S. foreign policy, and abandons a population that the U.S. has repeatedly pledged to support.
Refugees who trusted America with their safety are now being told to return to a dictatorship that kills dissidents, targets Christians and ethnic minorities, and forces young people into military service.
This is not who we are.
Tell Congress to Stop the Deportations
Members of Congress must intervene. They can:
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Publicly condemn the DHS decision
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Pressure the administration to reverse course
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Introduce emergency legislation
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Protect Burmese TPS holders through appropriations language
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Support redesignation and an 18-month extension
Every call matters. Every email matters. Every voice matters.
Tell your Senators and House Representatives to oppose the Trump Administration’s termination of TPS for Burma—and to stand with Burmese refugees, democracy activists, and persecuted communities.
Burma is not safe.
No one should be forced back.
