Afghans in the US to Lose Temporary Immigration Protections (2)

The Trump administration plans to terminate temporary immigration protections for nearly 12,000 Afghans in the US.

The removal of Temporary Protected Status will be effective July 12, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security announced in a Federal Register notice Monday.

The Trump administration was sued over the termination, which was originally reported last month, even before announcing the move. A lawsuit filed last week in the US District Court for the District of Maryland by immigrant advocacy group CASA Inc. claimed that reported removals of TPS protections for Afghans and Cameroonians violated the Administrative Procedure Act and equal protection under the Fifth Amendment.

The announcement follows termination of TPS protections for Venezuelans and the revocation of a Biden TPS extension for Haitians in the US.

“This administration is returning TPS to its original temporary intent,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement.

The Temporary Protected Status program allows immigrants from designated countries to remain in the US for up to 18 months and apply for work permits when DHS determines conditions like armed conflict make it unsafe to return. The agency is required to make an objective assessment of conditions at least 60 days for the end of a designation.

Thousands of Afghans fleeing the Taliban government have applied for temporary relief through programs like parole and TPS. About 11,700 currently have TPS protections now. Noem said the country no longer meets requirements for the designation because of an improved security situation and a stabilized economy.

“Additionally, the termination furthers the national interest as DHS records indicate that there are recipients who have been under investigation for fraud and threatening our public safety and national security,” Noem said in the statement. “Reviewing TPS designations is a key part of restoring integrity in our immigration system.”

Plaintiffs will have a week after publication of the Federal Register notice to file an amended complaint in the lawsuit challenging removal of TPS protections.

The Taliban government sees the DHS announcement as a positive step that affirms progress made in the national security and economy of Afghanistan, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesman of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a statement posted on X.

“IEA stands ready to engage in constructive dialogue with the US & other countries regarding repatriation of Afghans who no longer meet criteria to remain in host countries,” he said in the post. “IEA underscores the importance of bilateral mechanisms & consular services for its citizens, in line with established standards, to prevent complications, address national security concerns, & ensure the dignity & rights of returnees.”

Refugee and immigrant services provider Global Refuge called on the Trump administration to reverse course and for lawmakers to pass legislation allowing Afghan allies to seek a more stable status in the US.

The abrupt termination of protections threatens to send Afghans back to unimaginable circumstances, including reprisals against those who aided the US government, Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, the group’s president and CEO, said in a statement. Women and girls in Afghanistan still can’t work, get an education, or travel on their own, she noted.

“This decision contradicts U.S. intelligence and human rights assessments, and in doing so, will jeopardize thousands of lives,” Vignarajah said in a statement. “We promised to protect our Afghan allies and those who were forced to flee. This is not just an egregious recission of that oath — it may be a death sentence.”