Federal Appeals Court Allows Afghan, Cameroonian TPS Expiration to Proceed

A federal appeals court has refused to postpone the Trump administration's decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for approximately 11,700 Afghans in the U.S., effectively removing their protection from deportation. The Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals acknowledged the plaintiffs' plausible legal claims but found insufficient evidence to warrant delaying the termination, which had originally been set to expire on July 14. CASA, an immigrant advocacy group, is suing the administration, alleging the revocations are racially motivated and procedurally flawed, while warning that affected individuals face severe risks if forced to return to Afghanistan. Meanwhile, the Trump administration intervened to stop the forced deportation of Afghan interpreters and soldiers who assisted the U.S. military, securing an agreement with the United Arab Emirates to temporarily host them while vetting for long-term resettlement options is underway. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the TPS termination by citing improved security conditions in Afghanistan and concerns over fraud and national security risks among some TPS recipients. The court granted a brief administrative stay until July 21 to allow further consideration of the case, leaving thousands of Afghans in legal uncertainty.