DHS Ends Temporary Protected Status for Afghans and Cameroonians, Affecting Over 22,000 Migrants

The Trump administration cites improved conditions in both countries, drawing sharp criticism from refugee advocates and legal challenges over safety concerns.

• The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has officially terminated Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 14,600 Afghans and 7,900 Cameroonians, effective May and June, respectively.
• DHS Secretary Kristi Noem justified the decision by stating that Afghanistan and Cameroon no longer meet the statutory criteria for TPS, despite ongoing instability in both nations.
• Refugee advocates argue that conditions in Afghanistan, under Taliban rule, and Cameroon, plagued by conflict, remain unsafe for returnees and call the move a betrayal of humanitarian commitments.
• This decision follows a broader pattern of immigration rollbacks under the Trump administration, including recent attempts to end TPS protections for Venezuelans, which were temporarily blocked by courts.
• International deportation pressures are also mounting, with Pakistan expelling Afghan migrants and critics warning of severe risks for those forced to return to dangerous conditions.

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