US ends Temporary Protected Status for Afghanistan

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status for Afghanistan, effective July 12.

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for thousands of Afghan refugees will expire by next month. The move is set to affect approximately 11,000 Afghan nationals currently residing in the United States under this humanitarian designation.

Kristi Noem, the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, issued a statement on Monday, May 12, declaring that TPS for Afghanistan will officially end on May 20, with the termination becoming effective from July 12. Noem stated that after a recent assessment, Afghanistan “no longer meets the conditions required for TPS,” citing an alleged improvement in the country’s security and economic stability.

However, this decision has drawn sharp criticism. Shawn VanDiver, head of AfghanEvac, an organization advocating for Afghan refugees, condemned the move as politically motivated rather than based on ground realities. In a statement, he said, “This decision does not reflect the truth about conditions in Afghanistan.”

VanDiver emphasized that Afghanistan remains under Taliban control, lacking any functional asylum system. He noted ongoing reports of targeted killings, arbitrary detentions, and widespread human rights violations—particularly against women and minorities—making it unsafe for returnees. He called the U.S. government’s decision a “betrayal of those who stood with American forces and rebuilt their lives in the U.S.”

The Department of Homeland Security has also indicated that some Afghan TPS holders are under review for alleged “fraud and threats to public safety,” further complicating their legal status.

Rights groups and refugee advocates are urging the U.S. government to reconsider its decision, warning that sending vulnerable Afghans back to a volatile environment could endanger lives and contradict America’s commitments to its allies.

As the July deadline nears, legal and humanitarian organizations are preparing for possible legal challenges and lobbying efforts to protect Afghan TPS holders. Many fear the end of protections may lead to deportations or forced returns to a still-dangerous homeland.

The post US ends Temporary Protected Status for Afghanistan appeared first on Khaama Press.