The Trump administration has announced the termination of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program for Afghanistan, a move that will strip deportation protections from thousands of Afghans currently residing in the United States. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed on Monday that the program will officially end on July 12.
Originally established to provide temporary refuge and work authorization to foreign nationals whose home countries are deemed unsafe due to armed conflict, natural disasters, or other extraordinary conditions, the TPS designation for Afghanistan had been extended in 2023 and was set to expire this May unless renewed. According to federal data, more than 8,000 Afghan nationals had been granted protection under the program as of last year.
The administration’s decision not to renew TPS for Afghanistan has drawn swift condemnation from advocacy groups, who warn of serious humanitarian consequences. “This decision is unconscionable and will have long-lasting ripple effects,” said #AfghanEvac, a volunteer network that assists in the resettlement of Afghans, in a statement posted to X (formerly Twitter).
With the program’s termination now finalized, Afghans previously protected under TPS face the looming threat of deportation, even as security conditions in Afghanistan remain precarious. Human rights advocates and immigration experts are urging the administration to reconsider the decision, citing the risks to those who fled war and instability in the region.
