The Temporary Protected Status Program for Afghans in the US Has Officially Ended
Tawazon – U.S. media outlets have reported that Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghan nationals in the United States has officially ended. The move has thrown the future of hundreds of Afghan refugees living in the state of Vermont into uncertainty. The decision comes amid claims by U.S. officials that security conditions in Afghanistan have improved, a claim that has sparked harsh criticism from immigrant advocacy groups.
According to reports, around 600 Afghans who were resettled in Vermont after the fall of the Afghan government in 2021 are now facing the threat of deportation. Many of these individuals had assisted U.S. forces in the fight against the Taliban and could face direct threats to their lives if forced to return to Afghanistan.
Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, is a humanitarian immigration program that allows citizens of countries experiencing war, humanitarian crisis, or natural disasters to live and work legally in the United States. In 2022, the Biden administration designated Afghanistan for T.P.S.
Molly Gray, Executive Director of the Vermont Afghan Alliance warns that the consequences of this decision could be severe for vulnerable individuals:
“The fact that individuals may now be returned to a place where they would face persecution is a gross violation of human rights, and it’s frankly just the largest betrayal of individuals who risk their lives for this government.”
While the termination of TPS does not impact green card holders, it could significantly affect those who are seeking asylum or awaiting decisions on their immigration status.
According to official figures, nearly 200,000 Afghans fled to the United States following the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021.Some of them were granted legal status through the TPS program.
