May 8, 2023
Evacuate Our Allies Delivers Letter Urging Biden Administration to Immediately Redesignate TPS for Afghanistan
WASHINGTON D.C. – On May 3, the Evacuate Our Allies (EOA) Coalition sent a letter to President Biden, Secretary Mayorkas, and Secretary Blinken urging the administration to immediately redesignate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghanistan. The letter was signed by 164 international, national, state, and local organizations that represent the wide diversity of the EOA coalition.
The letter states the urgency of TPS redesignation: “Due to worsening insecurity and violence from the Taliban and various armed groups; an economic and humanitarian collapse exacerbated by drought and other threats to public health; and increased persecution through eroding social and political rights for women, girls, members of religious and ethnic minorities, and other segments of the Afghan population, we urge the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to regularly and proactively consult with affected communities and conduct frequent country conditions reviews to consider adjusting the dates of this vital blanket protection to safeguard human life.”
Thousands of Afghans rely on TPS, including those who arrived in the United States on humanitarian parole through Operations Allies Welcome (OAW). They face significant challenges in their search for pathways that will temporarily allow them to stay and work in the U.S. while also experiencing significant barriers to long-term legal protection.
Over one hundred advocates, including members of the Evacuate Our Allies Coalition, urged the Biden administration to designate TPS for Afghanistan in 2021 after the fall of the elected government and the return of the Taliban.