An appeals court clarified on Monday the Trump administration’s authority to revoke deportation protections for Afghans and Cameroonians, denying a request to halt this action while legal reviews are ongoing.
This ruling affects over 10,000 individuals from both nations who are living in the U.S. under Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which safeguards those unable to return safely due to conflict or natural disasters.
A lower court had temporarily halted repatriation for one more week, but the Fourth Circuit decided against extending this ban during the ongoing legal dispute.
The court noted, “There is insufficient evidence to ensure exceptional relief for the deferral of the pending agency lawsuit.”
Homeland Security Secretary Christi Noem has moved to end TPS for both countries, with the protections set to expire on August 4th. This decision contradicts the Biden administration’s assessment that it is too dangerous for citizens to return to Afghanistan and Cameroon.
Around 9,600 Afghans and nearly 3,500 Cameroonians currently benefit from TPS. Those affected will need to pursue asylum or seek protection under torture treaties to remain in the U.S.
With Afghanistan under Taliban control, conditions have deteriorated since the U.S. withdrawal in 2021. Many of the approximately 80,000 Afghans who arrived in the U.S. after Kabul’s fall have managed to adjust their status, obtaining asylum or special immigration visas for supporting U.S. military operations.
Sean Vandivar, president of #Afghanevac, stated, “The thousands of Afghans who served alongside the US military are now at risk of detention and deportation. These are our allies, our neighbors, our colleagues—people who believed in the promises made by this country.”
The Biden administration has also highlighted the ongoing armed conflict in Cameroon as a reason to continue TPS protections. Since 2014, violence between the Cameroonian government and non-state armed groups, particularly Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), has resulted in significant casualties and destruction of civilian infrastructure.
