A federal appeals court has temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to end protected status for thousands of Afghans residing in the United States. This development comes amidst ongoing legal challenges to recent immigration policy changes.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit has issued an administrative stay on the termination of temporary protected status for Afghan nationals. This stay will remain in effect until July 21st, providing a brief reprieve for those affected.
The court order comes in response to a lawsuit filed by CASA, an immigration advocacy organization. CASA challenged the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to end temporary protected status for both Afghans and Cameroonians, a move announced by the Trump administration in April.
CASA filed an emergency motion for a stay on the very day the protected status for Afghans was set to expire. The protected status for Cameroonians is scheduled to end on August 4th, according to court documents.
The Department of Homeland Security has not yet responded to requests for comment. When the termination was initially announced in April, the department stated that conditions in Afghanistan and Cameroon no longer warranted protected status.
This raises important questions about the fate of over 82,000 Afghans evacuated after the Taliban takeover in 2021. More than 70,000 of these individuals entered the U.S. under temporary “parole,” granting legal entry for two years.
The Trump administration now has until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday to respond to the court’s decision. As this situation continues to develop, the impact on thousands of lives hangs in the balance.
