A federal appeals court on Monday temporarily paused the Trump administration’s decision to end Temporary Protected Status for Afghan nationals.
The stay, issued by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, blocks the termination of TPS for Afghanistan until 11:59 p.m. on July 21. It gives the court time to consider arguments on whether the protections should remain in place while the case proceeds.
Afghanistan was granted TPS in 2022 under the Biden administration following the U.S. military withdrawal and the Taliban’s return to power. The program shields eligible Afghan nationals from deportation due to armed conflict and humanitarian crisis.
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Earlier this year, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem determined that Afghanistan no longer meets the statutory requirements for TPS. While the administration contends conditions in Afghanistan have improved, the United Nations reported on May 1 that the Taliban has continued enforcing decrees aimed at "erasing women from public life."
Under Monday’s order, the federal government must file its response to the emergency motion by Wednesday. The plaintiffs, led by CASA Inc., must file their reply by Thursday. A final ruling on whether to extend or lift the stay could come soon after.
