U.S. GOVERNMENT RESPONDS TO PROMINENT ARMENIAN-‎AMERICAN LAWYERS CALL UPON U.S. GOVERNMENT TO ISSUE ‎VISA WAIVERS FOR SYRIAN-ARMENIANS

The U.S. Government has responded to the request of Four Prominent Armenian-American Lawyers ‎to issue visa waivers for Syrian-Armenians. Currently, there is no American Diplomatic presence in ‎Syria. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) of the Department of Homeland ‎Security has assigned a case number to the request stating: “Due to the violent upheaval and ‎deteriorating situation in (Syria) USCIS announced that eligible Syrian nationals...in the United ‎States may apply for Temporary Protected Status (TPS).”‎
‎ iting the recent burning of St. Kevork Armenian Church in Aleppo and the kidnapping of ‎Armenians on a Beirut Aleppo bus, Vartkes Yeghiayan Esq., Former Assistant Director of ‎ACTION/Peace Corps, and William Paparian Esq., Former Mayor of Pasadena, replied to the letter ‎from USCIS:‎
‎ “Through our letter of October 12, 2012, which was directed to State Secretary Hillary Clinton and ‎Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, we wished to express our deep concern for the fate ‎of the beleaguered Christian citizens of (Syria). The fighting there has engulfed large portions of the ‎country and has made the already precarious position of Christians even more untenable. It is ‎precisely because we feel the current legislation, including the extension of Temporary Protected ‎Status (TPS) to Syrian nationals, is insufficient in addressing the deteriorating humanitarian ‎situation that we turned to the United States government.”‎
‎ “It is with deep regret that we conveyed our extreme displeasure with the response of the U.S. ‎Government to our request,” said Varkes Yeghiayan.‎
‎ After the initial announcement of the request for Visa Waivers for Syrian Armenians, countless ‎friends and family of Syrian Armenians in the United States and elsewhere have expressed their ‎support for the U.S. Government taking favorable action to allow Syrian Armenians to come to the ‎United States.‎
‎ “We will continue to press the U.S. Government to take immediate action to alleviate the suffering ‎of Christians in Syria and will immediately advise the Syrian Armenian community and their family ‎and friends of further developments,” said William Paparian.‎
‎ Contact: Bill Paparian 626.795.1750 Email: bpaparian@aol.com
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-CenterAR News