PULSE POINTS:
What Happened: The Trump administration has officially ended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghan refugees, opening the door to deportations.
Who’s Involved: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the decision; tens of thousands of Afghans are affected.
Where & When: The announcement was made on Monday, May 12, 2025, in the United States, with deportation protections expiring in 60 days.
Key Quote: “This administration is returning TPS to its original temporary intent,” said Secretary Noem, adding: “Afghanistan has had an improved security situation, and its stabilizing economy no longer prevents them from returning to their home country.”
Impact: Deportation protections for Afghans will lapse, affecting tens of thousands of migrants, many of whom were resettled in Texas, California, and Virginia.
IN FULL:
The Trump administration has ended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghan refugees, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Monday. The move sets the stage for the potential deportation of tens of thousands of Afghans currently residing in the United States. Deportation protections will expire in 60 days, the minimum period allowed by law after such a notice is issued.
“This administration is returning TPS to its original temporary intent,” Sec. Noem stated, adding: “We’ve reviewed the conditions in Afghanistan with our interagency partners, and they do not meet the requirements for a TPS designation. Afghanistan has had an improved security situation, and its stabilizing economy no longer prevents them from returning to their home country.”
The Biden government had brought approximately 76,000 Afghan nationals to the United States following the chaotic U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, a move ordered by President Joe Biden. Many of these individuals were resettled in states like Texas, California, and Virginia. Between 2010 and 2022, the Afghan population in the U.S. grew from 54,000 to 195,000, though it remains unclear how many of these individuals have obtained legal permanent residency or citizenship.
However, Noem’s analysis pointed to signs of recovery, such as Chinese tourism returning to the region, and a decline in the number of people requiring humanitarian assistance—from over 29 million last year to 23.7 million this year.
The Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program, created in 2006 and expanded in 2009, was initially designed to assist Afghan and Iraqi translators working with U.S. forces. Many of the Afghans currently in the U.S. fled during Joe Biden’s botched 2021 withdrawal, supposedly seeking refuge from Taliban reprisals.
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