On Friday April 11, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced plans to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for thousands of Afghans and Cameroonians.  

The TPS program is available to individuals whose home countries have experienced armed conflict, natural disaster, or other events threatening the livelihood of citizens. TPS offers protections from deportations for 6 to 18 months in addition to work authorization in the US.   

The Council on National Security and Immigration (CNSI), a group of leaders and experts on national security and immigration policy, released today a press statement urging the Trump administration to uphold commitments to safeguard our Afghan allies including the facilitation of relocation, resettlement, and bringing people to safety. 

CNSI believes that honoring America’s tradition of humanitarian leadership is critical to our national security objectives as well as to our diplomatic and economic global relations. 

"This decision sets a troubling precedent, suggesting that the U.S. may not honor its commitments to those who assist us in times of conflict. We urge the administration to reconsider this decision and uphold our moral and strategic obligations to Afghan allies," the statement says.  

CNSI leaders call for refining asylum processes, honoring commitments, and fostering shared global responsibility for refugees. For years, Afghan allies put their lives and their families’ lives at risk to help the U.S. military in our efforts to defeat al Qaeda and the Taliban. By doing so they have earned the opportunity to stay in the United States and obtain legal permanent resident status.  

Similarly, a group of evangelical denominations and organizations recently sent a letter to President Trump and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, urging them to reconsider the recently announced terminations of temporary protections for certain immigrants. "Many of these individuals are… active members of evangelical churches, which is one reason that these concerns are so personal to many evangelical Christians throughout the country," the letter notes. "While we do want to see our borders secured and violent criminals removed from the United States, we do not want to see law-abiding individuals who are currently in the country lawfully become unlawfully present or be deported."  

Throughout our country’s history, immigrants have made vital contributions to economic, cultural, and innovative achievements. Jennie Murray, President and CEO of the National Immigration Forum is concerned about the impacts the aforementioned policies would have on our society. Earlier this week Murray stated that "allowing TPS for Afghans to expire will negatively affect thousands of recipients, the communities who welcomed them, and the American businesses who hired them." 

We hope you continue to advocate with us for long-overdue action to pass needed immigration reforms including protections for our Afghan allies.  

Stay hopeful and committed, 

Oula

Oula Alrifai 
Assistant Vice President of Field and Constituencies 
National Immigration Forum  

NEWS CLIPS TO NOTE:  

BORDER REPORT: Migrant registry has few takers, groups say 

CHRISTIANITY TODAY: The Model Immigrants in Legal Limbo  

NPR: Trump administration ending temporary protected status for Afghans living in U.S. 

NBC 3 NEWS: Dreamers gain overwhelming voter support as DACA debate reignites immigration reform 

RNS: The church helped me when I was a refugee. It's called to do the same today.