The Trump administration ends temporary protected status for nearly 15,000 Afghan refugees, citing improved security conditions and fraud concerns while critics argue Afghanistan remains dangerous under Taliban rule.
Quick Takes
- Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghan refugees, effective July 12, 2025.
- The administration claims Afghanistan’s security and economic situation has improved, no longer meeting TPS requirements.
- DHS cited investigations into recipients for fraud and potential threats to national security as justification.
- Critics argue conditions remain dangerous in Afghanistan, especially for women and those who worked with American forces.
- The decision affects approximately 14,600 Afghans who received protection following the 2021 U.S. withdrawal.
Administration Cites Security Improvements and Fraud Concerns
The Department of Homeland Security under Secretary Kristi Noem has announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghan nationals, affecting approximately 14,600 refugees currently in the United States. The protection, initially granted by the Biden administration following the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, will expire on May 20, 2025, with the termination becoming effective on July 12, 2025. This decision marks a significant policy shift in how the U.S. manages humanitarian protections for those displaced during the Taliban takeover.
Secretary Noem justified the decision by stating that conditions in Afghanistan have improved to the point where the country no longer meets the statutory requirements for TPS designation. “This administration is returning TPS to its original temporary intent,” Noem said in her announcement. “We’ve reviewed the conditions in Afghanistan with our interagency partners, and they do not meet the requirements for a TPS designation. Afghanistan has had an improved security situation, and its stabilizing economy no longer prevents them from returning to their home country.”
Trump is ending Biden’s Temporary Protected Status for 100K Afghans that Joe brought in. Many of these people have been caught plotting against us. Fraud and threats to our public safety and national security. It’s time for them to return home. Biden brought them in, Trump is… pic.twitter.com/fMyVpYI9pz
— MAGA PATRIOT TGM (TERI) (@udreams30) May 12, 2025
National Security Concerns Drive Policy Change
The administration has emphasized national security considerations as a key factor in the decision. According to DHS records, some TPS recipients have been under investigation for fraud and potential threats to public safety and national security. Reports from the Department of Defense Inspector General highlighted significant failures in the vetting process for Afghan evacuees during the Biden administration’s Operation Allies Welcome. These security concerns have been central to the Trump administration’s justification for ending the program.
According to information from Breitbart News, a 27-year-old Afghan man who came to the U.S. as part of the Biden administration’s resettlement program was arrested in Oklahoma for allegedly planning a terrorist attack. Additionally, a former Department of Defense official revealed that some unvetted Afghans resettled in the United States had been involved in placing improvised explosive devices (IEDs) against American troops during the war. Senator Chuck Grassley had previously requested information on Afghans with ties to terrorism, but the Biden administration reportedly did not disclose these details.
Humanitarian Concerns and Legal Challenges
Refugee advocates and human rights organizations have strongly criticized the decision, arguing that conditions in Afghanistan remain dangerous, especially for women, minorities, and individuals who were associated with the former U.S.-backed government. The United Nations has described the Taliban as “erasing women from public life,” with reports indicating the regime has issued nearly 150 edicts stripping women of basic rights affecting education, employment, and social interactions since taking power in 2021.
Legal challenges to the termination have already begun. CASA, an immigrant rights organization, has filed a lawsuit challenging the decision, citing ongoing threats to Afghan nationals. Afghanistan’s economic crisis has reportedly worsened due to the exclusion of women from the workforce and high unemployment among men. The UN reports that over 3.4 million Afghans have returned or been deported since 2023, exacerbating humanitarian challenges in the region.
Policy Shift in Immigration Priorities
The decision to end TPS for Afghan refugees comes as the administration has initiated a new refugee program prioritizing white South Africans, specifically Afrikaners, citing alleged racial discrimination in South Africa. This concurrent policy shift has intensified debates over the administration’s immigration priorities and approach to humanitarian protections. Critics argue that the juxtaposition of ending protections for Afghans while facilitating the resettlement of South Africans reflects an inconsistent application of refugee policies.
The DHS is required to review conditions in TPS-designated countries at least 60 days before expiration, and the administration maintains that this decision is the result of such a review process. For the thousands of Afghans in the U.S. who face an uncertain future, the termination of TPS creates anxiety about potential deportation to conditions they fled following the U.S. withdrawal. The human cost of this policy change will likely continue to be debated as the July 2025 deadline approaches.
Sources:
Trump administration ending temporary protected status for Afghan nationals
DHS terminates Temporary Protected Status for 9,000 from Afghanistan living in U.S.
