On May 13, 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a notice announcing that the Trump administration is ending the designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghanistan, which will take effect on July 14, 2025. This move could lead to the deportation of over 11,000 Afghans residing in the U.S.
Secretary of DHS Kristi Noem stated that permitting Afghan nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is “contrary to the national interest of the United States.”
This announcement is the latest in the current administration’s push to roll back immigration benefits for foreign nationals living and working in the United States.
History of Afghanistan designation for TPS in the U.S.
TPS provides temporary legal status and work authorization to nationals from countries experiencing armed conflict, natural disasters, or other extraordinary conditions.
The DHS has the authority to designate the nationals of a particular country as eligible for TPS when such country is deemed unsafe due to various forms of crises, such as cases of ongoing armed conflict or environmental disaster.
During a designated TPS period, TPS beneficiaries:
- Are not removable from the United States
- Can obtain an employment authorization document (EAD)
- May be granted travel authorization
Afghanistan was designated for TPS in 2022 following the U.S. withdrawal from the country and the Taliban’s takeover.
Following the Taliban’s takeover, tens of thousands of Afghans were evacuated to the U.S., and were granted temporary protections under the Biden administration. DHS estimates approximately 11,700 nationals of Afghanistan currently hold TPS.
On September 25, 2023, DHS extended and newly designated Afghanistan for a period of 18 months, beginning on November 21, 2023, and ending on May 20, 2025.
For many Afghans, TPS has offered a crucial lifeline, bringing stability and security amid chaos.
Why the U.S. government is ending TPS for Afghanistan
DHS has deemed the TPS now unnecessary because returning Afghan nationals would not face significant threats to their safety.
Noem said in a statement that the conditions in Afghanistan have improved sufficiently to warrant the program’s termination.
“This administration is returning TPS to its original temporary intent,” Noem said. “We’ve reviewed the conditions in Afghanistan with our interagency partners, and they do not meet the requirements for a TPS designation.”
Noem also claimed that the termination aligns with the Trump administration’s efforts to root out fraud in the immigration system.
“The termination furthers the national interest as DHS records indicate that there are recipients who have been under investigation for fraud and threatening our public safety and national security,” Noem said.
This decision is part of a broader immigration crackdown that has dominated the early months of Trump’s second term, including his repeated efforts to terminate TPS protections for about 600,000 Venezuelans residing in the U.S.
The Trump administration during its first 100 days has been ending, canceling, pausing, and declining to renew protections and work permits through programs like Temporary Protected Status (TPS), the Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan, and Venezuelan Parole Program (CHNV), the Uniting for Ukraine Program, and others, and targeting them for deportation as well.
Trump has already announced the cancellation of status for roughly 2 million people with TPS.
By removing Afghanistan’s TPS designation, DHS has determined that returning Afghan nationals “does not pose a threat to their personal safety due to ongoing-armed conflict or extraordinary and temporary conditions.”
Conditions required for TPS designation in the U.S.
The Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has the authority to designate a country for TPS under one or more of the following conditions:
- ongoing armed conflict in a foreign state that poses a serious threat to personal safety (such as a civil war);
- a request from a foreign state for TPS due to an environmental disaster (such as an earthquake or hurricane);
- An epidemic; or,
- other extraordinary and temporary conditions in a foreign state that prevent its nationals from safely returning.
Once a country no longer meets the conditions for TPS, the Secretary can terminate the designation. This is determined at least 60 days before the expiration of the country’s TPS designation or extension.
It should be noted that upon termination, the termination does not take effect earlier than 60 days after the date of announcement of termination.
What happens to Afghans when their TPS terminates?
Once TPS protection ends, a TPS holder reverts back to his or her previous immigration status. For those without legal status in the U.S., they return to an undocumented status and potentially become subject to removal proceedings.
The termination of TPS for Afghanistan carries significant implications for both the individuals affected and the broader community.
The nearly 12,000 Afghans with TPS will lose their protections from deportation and their work authorization.
Many of the Afghans who have TPS may have assisted U.S. troops during the 20-year U.S. war against the Taliban.
Depriving them now of the right to remain in the United States and earn a living risks sending them back to dangerous conditions in their home country, which has been destabilized by years of armed conflict, and where they are likely to face retaliation and persecution by the current regime.
More so, many of these individuals have established lives in the U.S. contributing to their communities and economy.
While the initial TPS designation for Afghanistan was set to expire on May 20, 2025, DHS regulations require that any rescission of TPS benefits be accompanied by a 60-day notice period.
The TPS termination for Afghanistan was published in the Federal Register on May 13, 2025, resulting in an effective termination date of TPS benefits for Afghan nationals, including work authorization, on July 14, 2025.
After July 14, 2025, nationals of Afghanistan (and stateless individuals having no nationality who last habitually resided in Afghanistan) who have been granted TPS under Afghanistan’s designation will no longer have TPS and will be required to depart the U.S.
Are there Afghans exempted from leaving the U.S.?
Afghanistan has only been designated for TPS since May 20, 2022, thus many Afghanistan TPS beneficiaries lack the longer periods of residence in the U.S. that beneficiaries from other countries had.
Nonetheless, Afghan nationals who have obtained another immigration benefit apart from TPS, including parole, will retain that immigration benefit unless otherwise notified.
In addition, the Trump administration has considered exempting Christians from its campaign to deport Afghan refugees, which Christian leaders and nonprofit organizations say face persecution if sent back to the Taliban-controlled country.
The policy discussions come as prominent Christian leaders and nonprofit organizations have pressed the White House to protect what they say is a group of hundreds of at-risk Christian Afghan refugees — still a fraction of the thousands potentially facing deportation in the months ahead. The leaders argued they could face persecution if returned to Afghanistan.
The Law Offices of Anne Z. Sedki—for all matters concerning immigration
Many Afghan TPS holders are deeply distressed by the U.S. government decision. They describe it as devastating, as it removes their legal protection and work authorization in just 60 days. Some have even taken to the streets to protest.
If you are a TPS holder from Afghanistan, the termination of your legal status does not mean your journey in the United States must end—but it does mean you need to swing into action.
Now is the time to consult with an immigration attorney to explore options that may include: asylum, Special Immigrant Visa, family-based visas, employment-based visas or green card sponsorship, or Deferred Action or other forms of prosecutorial discretion in limited cases.
It is essential to explore these alternatives as soon as possible to maintain lawful status in the U.S. Prompt action is strongly advised—delaying may limit available options and increase the risk of losing legal protection.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation and begin planning your legal pathway before the July 14, 2025 deadline. Call our offices on +15169637018, +1-516-487-3831 or fill out this form and we will get back to you within 24 hours.