Washington: The Trump administration announced it would terminate deportation protections for thousands of Afghans and Cameroonians living in the United States, said Friday.
An estimated 14,600 Afghans who meet the Temporary Protection Status (TPS) will now be lost in May. About 7,900 Cameroonians can use the identity, but will lose their status quo in June after the termination.
Republican President Donald Trump served in January, vowing to live illegally in the United States. Meanwhile, he quickly turned to temporary legally protected immigrants, expanding potential deportations.
Trump criticized high levels of illegal immigration under former Democratic President Joe Biden and believed that Biden’s plan to provide legal status exceeded legal authority.
The TPS program is for individuals who suffer from natural disasters, armed conflicts or other extraordinary events in their country. Status lasting 6-18 months can be renewed by the Department of Homeland Security Secretary and provide deportation protection and a work permit.
In a statement, spokesman Tricia McLaughlin said that Homeland Security Minister Kristi Noem determined that the situation in Afghanistan and Cameroon no longer justifies protected status.
Trump tried to end most TPS enrollment during his presidency in 2017-2021 but was blocked by federal court. In late March, a U.S. district judge stopped his efforts to terminate Venezuelan status, noting that officials portrayed immigration as criminals “racist.”
Parole was revoked
After the Taliban took over in 2021, the United States evacuated more than 82,000 Afghans from Afghanistan, including more than 70,000 people entering the country on temporary “parole”, which allows legal entry to two years.
Temporary protection conditions provide another way of protection. The Department of Homeland Security said in 2023 that the designation was necessary due to armed conflict and insurgency in Afghanistan.
Advocates said in recent days that immigrants entering the U.S. through Biden-era apps, including Afghans, have received notices to revoke their temporary parole and ordered them to leave the country within seven days.
McLaughlin confirmed this week that the department has revoked parole for some immigrants, noting that the DHS is “exercising its discretion.” She did not provide any figures on the number of revocations.
“Affected people are urged to use the CBP Home app to voluntarily consume it on their own,” she said in a statement.
The notifications are similar to messages sent to Ukrainians incorrectly last week.
