Citizenship and Immigration Services is opening a process that allows Palestinians living in the US on a temporary immigration status to apply for work permits. 

President Joe Biden issued a memo in February that gave some Palestinians already in the U.S. what’s called Deferred Enforced Departure. It’s a special, temporary immigration status that shields recipients from deportation because of violence or other issues they’d face going back home. 

The status is good for 18 months and under the new process announced this month, Palestinians that have received it can now apply for a work permit during that time frame. 

USCIS says Palestinians who were not present in the U.S. when the memo was issued in February or those who have a felony conviction are not eligible for the status or work permit.