The Department of Homeland Security is removing Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghan refugees, Secretary Kristi Noem announced Monday. The decision could force more than 9,000 Afghan nationals – including women, children and Afghans who assisted the U.S. military during its years-long occupation – to return to their homeland under Taliban rule, Politico reports.
DHS cites improvements in Afghanistan
Secretary Noem said DHS has reviewed the situation in Afghanistan and concluded that it has improved enough, specifically in terms of security and the economy, for Afghans to return home safely.
Noem also said some TPS holders may pose risks.
“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. “Reviewing TPS designations is a key part of restoring integrity in our immigration system.”
In a press release, DHS announced that Temporary Protected Status for Afghans will expire on May 20 and that the termination will take effect on July 12.
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As of September 2024, more than 9,000 people from Afghanistan were covered by temporary protected status.
Background on Afghan TPS and humanitarian parole
The Taliban retook control of Afghanistan in 2021 as the U.S. military withdrew after two decades. The country quickly became unstable and dangerous, prompting President Biden to grant TPS to Afghans because it was not safe for them to return home.
During the 2021 crisis, American forces evacuated thousands of Afghans, many of whom were brought to the United States under “humanitarian parole.” This temporary legal status allows individuals to enter the country and stay for urgent reasons but does not lead to permanent residency.
Advocacy group calls DHS decision ‘unconscionable’
#AfghanEvac, an organization that helps Afghans resettle in the United States, criticized the move.
In a post on X, Shawn VanDiver, the organization’s president, called DHS’s move “unconscionable.”
“The decision to terminate TPS for Afghanistan is not rooted in reality—it’s rooted in politics,” VanDiver said. “Afghanistan remains under the control of the Taliban. There is no functioning asylum system. There are still assassinations, arbitrary arrests, and ongoing human rights abuses, especially against women and ethnic minorities.”
“What the administration has done today is betray people who risked their lives for America, built lives here, and believed in our promises,” VanDiver added.
UN: Millions of Afghans deported or returning
According to a new report by the United Nations Refugee Agency, more than 3.4 million Afghans have either returned to Afghanistan or been deported from Iran and Pakistan since 2023.
More than 250,000 Afghans returned in April alone.
“The large-scale returns are putting even greater pressure on already stretched humanitarian resources and worsening the plight of millions struggling to survive,” the UN said in the report.
The agency says it is seeking $75 billion to assist Afghans who are being deported back to their home country or who are voluntarily returning home.
