Trump Administration Ends Deportation Protections for Afghans

Termination of Afghan Temporary Protected Status

• ⚠️ The Trump administration is ending the program that offers deportation protections for Afghans, with the Department of Homeland Security terminating Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in early July.
• 📌 This program allows migrants to obtain work permits and avoid deportation, impacting an estimated 11,000 individuals.

Who Are the Affected Afghans?

• 🤝 These Afghans are primarily individuals who arrived during the U.S. withdrawal in August 2021, including interpreters, drivers, lawyers, and prosecutors who supported the U.S. during the 20-year war.
• 🎯 They are considered at risk of death, torture, or intimidation if they are forced to return to Afghanistan due to their past relationship with the United States.

Rebutting Claims of Improved Conditions in Afghanistan

• 🗣️ Secretary of Homeland Security, Kirstjen Nielsen, claims economic conditions have improved and the threat of violence is mitigated, thus negating the need for TPS.
• 💔 Afghan Evac president, Shawn VanDiver, refutes this, stating daily reports of killings, torture, and harassment, and invites Nielsen to visit Afghanistan to assess the safety conditions firsthand.
• 🚫 VanDiver highlights the severe restrictions on women in Afghanistan, including limitations on their voices, public presence, and ability to work, making the claim of improved safety for all Afghans unbelievable.

Addressing Concerns About "Gaming the System"

• ⚖️ While acknowledging a potentially small number of individuals may have misrepresented their roles, VanDiver emphasizes that all Afghans brought to the U.S. during the withdrawal have a relationship with the country.
• 🤝 The principle of "we broke it, we bought it" is invoked, asserting a U.S. obligation to protect these individuals who have been in America for three and a half years.

Resettlement Process Challenges

• 📉 The resettlement process for Afghans has been described as rough, with the Biden administration needing to rebuild systems dismantled by the Trump administration.
• 🛑 A previously functioning system, which saw 5,000 Afghans resettled monthly, was shut down and contracts canceled, hindering the process.
• 📣 For those concerned, Afghan Evac encourages support through their website, afghan-evac.org, to continue advocating for these individuals.