DHS announces details on Deferred Enforced Departure for Palestinians
Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for Palestinians will be valid for an 18-month period, from February 14, 2024 until August 13, 2025.
During this period, eligible Palestinians will be protected from removal and may apply for employment or travel authorization.
Palestinian F-1 students will also benefit from relaxed employment rules.
Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) is not a specific immigration status, but rather is a discretionary grant of protection that can be issued only by a president as part of their constitutional power to conduct foreign relations. It is used in very limited instances. Individuals covered by DED are not subject to removal from the United States for a certain period of time and typically may request employment authorization during the designation period. In addition to Palestinians, DED is currently available to residents of Hong Kong and Liberian nationals.
To be eligible, certain Palestinians who were present in the US on February 14, 2024 and remain continuously present may benefit from the DED grant. Palestinians who return to the Palestinian territories after February 14, have committed certain crimes, or present a national security threat, among others, may not be eligible under the program.
