Washington, 12 April (H.S.): The Trump administration is set to terminate deportation protections, known as Temporary Protected Status (TPS), for over 8,000 Afghan migrants who came to the U.S. following the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that conditions in Afghanistan no longer qualify for TPS, which is designed for individuals from countries facing armed conflict or disasters. The Biden administration initially granted TPS to Afghans in 2022 due to ongoing turmoil.

Additionally, DHS plans to end TPS for around 3,200 Cameroonian migrants, whose status will expire on June 7. CASA, an advocacy organization, intends to file a lawsuit to reinstate these protections, accusing President Trump of prioritizing ethnic cleansing by returning people to dangerous environments with human rights violations.

For Afghans, TPS will cease by mid-May, and previous reports have highlighted that Trump’s attempts to end TPS for Venezuelans were recently blocked by federal courts. In a disturbing enforcement push, the administration is now targeting student visa holders and lawful permanent residents as well.

Separately, over 200 Venezuelan men were deported to a max-security prison in El Salvador after being accused of links to a gang, despite only a few having serious criminal charges in the U.S. An immigrant registration requirement, rarely used since WWII, has also been reinstated, requiring undocumented foreigners over 14 years old to register or risk fines up to $1,000. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem expressed intentions to enhance deportation initiatives significantly.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar