RASC News Agency: The White House has announced that the legal cases of Afghanistani migrants in the United States will be processed through formal judicial channels, following the expiration of their temporary protected status. The confirmation was delivered on Tuesday, April 22, by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, during a media briefing in which she addressed concerns surrounding the fate of Afghanistani migrants particularly religious minorities after the lapse of humanitarian protections. Responding to a question regarding the alleged termination of support for Afghanistani migrants, including Christians, Leavitt clarified, “We have not ended our support; the status granted to these individuals has expired.”
She explained that many Afghanistani nationals who entered the U.S. during President Biden’s tenure were granted temporary humanitarian parole a non-permanent measure intended for urgent admissions. With that status now expired, these individuals must undergo a legal asylum process. Each case, she noted, will be evaluated independently by immigration judges in accordance with U.S. law. Leavitt also referenced the previous administration’s efforts to restructure the immigration system into a more legalistic and selective framework. Her remarks come amid mounting concern that hundreds of Christian Afghanistani nationals now face deportation and imminent threats from the Taliban should they be returned.
According to a Fox News report published on April 19, U.S. religious leaders have warned that the removal of Afghanistani Christians could result in dire consequences, including execution or persecution under Taliban rule. Clergy and human rights advocates have urged the Trump administration to immediately suspend deportations and institute safeguards for at-risk individuals. After his return to office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order suspending the refugee admissions program and freezing the adjudication of asylum claims. The move provoked widespread criticism, including from Michael McCaul, former Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, who called on the administration to restore protections for Afghanistani allies who supported U.S. military and diplomatic efforts.
In a parallel decision, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officially revoked Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for thousands of Afghanistani citizens. Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at DHS, confirmed the move, stating that it followed consultations with the Department of State and other federal agencies. According to McLaughlin, the Secretary of Homeland Security determined that Afghanistan no longer meets the threshold of conditions necessary to justify TPS. TPS is a humanitarian provision granted to individuals from countries facing extraordinary hardships, including armed conflict, natural disasters, or systemic crises. It temporarily protects recipients from deportation and permits lawful employment in the United States. McLaughlin noted that the TPS designation for Afghanistani nationals will officially end on March 21, 2025, based on the latest DHS assessment of evolving conditions in Afghanistan.
However, legal experts and advocacy organizations have challenged the DHS assessment, arguing that the Taliban’s consolidation of power continues to create a life-threatening environment particularly for women, former government officials, civil society actors, and religious minorities. Critics contend that the removal of protections not only undermines U.S. moral commitments but also exposes vulnerable Afghanistani individuals to severe persecution. Calls are growing for the Biden administration to implement a more comprehensive and humane resettlement strategy, one that recognizes the moral responsibility of the United States to those who allied with it during two decades of war and reconstruction.
