With temporary protections for some Afghans set to expire, appeals court steps in

Source: NPR

July 15, 2025 1:20 AM ET


WASHINGTON — An appeals court late Monday stepped in to keep in place protections for nearly 12,000 Afghans that have allowed them to work in the U.S. and be protected from deportation after they were set to expire as part of the Trump administration's efforts to make more people eligible for removal from the country.

The Department of Homeland Security in May said it was ending Temporary Protected Status for 11,700 people from Afghanistan in 60 days. That status had allowed them to work and meant the government couldn't deport them.

CASA, a nonprofit immigrant advocacy group, sued the administration over the TPS revocation for Afghans as well as for people from Cameroon — those expire August 4. A federal judge last Friday allowed the lawsuit to go forward but didn't grant CASA's request to keep the protections in place while the lawsuit plays out.

CASA appealed the case Monday and won a stay keeping in place the temporary status for Afghans that was set to expire Monday. The appeals court gave no reason for its decision, but indicated it would be deciding what to do swiftly. The stay is in place for one week, and the court has asked both sides to file briefs this week. The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

Read more: https://www.npr.org/2025/07/15/g-s1-77594/temporary-protections-afghans-appeals-court