September 21, 2023
Evacuate Our Allies Commends Biden Administration for Extending and Redesignating TPS for Afghanistan
WASHINGTON D.C.— The Evacuate Our Allies (EOA) Coalition commends the Biden administration for extending and redesignating Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghanistan. The extension of TPS for Afghanistan will allow Afghan nationals who already benefit from the initial TPS decision to re-register for an additional 18 months of protection and work authorization. Crucially, the redesignation will allow an estimated 14,600 recently arrived Afghans to apply for TPS for the first time. The Federal Register notice, which is scheduled to be officially published on September 25, 2023, provides detailed information on when Afghans can apply or re-apply for TPS.
“For a population that continues to work toward achieving a path to permanent safety in the United States, TPS has been an incredibly valuable and meaningful protection and we welcome this extension and redesignation from the Biden administration,” said Joseph Azam, Board Chair of the Afghan-American Foundation. “For over two years, we have implored the administration to act urgently and with purpose to ensure peace of mind and dignity for the Afghans who are rebuilding their lives and enriching communities across America. Our government’s commitment to welcoming them and protecting them must be enduring.”
“This decision comes after many months of pressure to protect more recently arrived Afghans who cannot be returned to face Taliban violence and oppression,” said Jill Marie Bussey, LIRS Director for Public Policy, and Evacuate Our Allies Administrative Advocacy Working Group Co-Chair. “We applaud the decision to extend and expand TPS protection and implore the administration to act swiftly in its implementation and outreach to ensure these protections are most effective and meaningful for Afghans seeking safety.”
“Along with the new re-parole process for Afghans, TPS is another critical step to providing more comfort and security to Afghans in the United States,” said Daniel Salazar, USCRI Policy Analyst and Evacuate Our Allies Administrative Advocacy Working Group Co-Chair. “We commend the administration for using its tools under immigration law to offer protections to Afghans in the United States.”
“Many recently arrived Afghans may not be eligible for the same benefits and services that are available to Afghans who arrived during Operation Allies Welcome,” Salazar added. “TPS will be absolutely essential for offering protections to this population.”
DHS Secretary Mayorkas’ decision to extend and redesignate TPS for Afghanistan underscores the administration’s commitment to safeguarding Afghan nationals. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has offered Afghan nationals a range of support including fee exemptions, expedited processing, new and streamlined processes for extending parole. Additionally, USCIS is hosting Afghan Support Centers throughout the country, where EOA has had a robust presence at each location thus far.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Mayorkas initially designated Afghanistan for TPS on May 20, 2022 due to ongoing armed conflict and extraordinary and temporary conditions within Afghanistan preventing nationals from returning to Afghanistan in safety.
As more than 160 diverse international, national, state, and local organizations indicated in a May 3, 2023 letter to the administration, country conditions remain dire in Afghanistan. From the systematic repression of women and girls to widespread food insecurity driven by economic collapse and climate shocks, it is not safe for Afghan nationals to return to Afghanistan.
While the protections the administration has provided are critical and provide temporary stability, they are not a substitute for the permanent protections that only Congress can ensure. The safety of newly arrived Afghans and those who were left behind demands permanent protections through legislation like the Afghan Adjustment Act.
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Evacuate Our Allies is a coalition of over 150 faith organizations, refugee and immigration groups, veterans and veteran service organizations, human and civil rights advocates, and Afghan American community organizations working to advance government accountability and action in fulfilling promises to provide safe passage, welcome, and protection to at-risk Afghans following the conclusion of the decades-long U.S. military presence in Afghanistan.