Myanmar's Junta Welcomes US Decision to End Temporary Protected Status

Myanmar's military government has praised the United States for ending a program that granted protected residency to nearly 4,000 Myanmar nationals. The US government recently announced it will terminate the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for the Southeast Asian nation. A junta spokesman stated, "Myanmar citizens in the United States can return to their homeland; they are welcome." The TPS program allows immigrants from countries deemed unsafe to live and work legally in the US. The US decision means these individuals must now find another legal immigration status or face deportation after a designated wind-down period. The move reverses a policy established in response to the 2021 military coup that overthrew Myanmar's civilian government.