The End of Protection Status

By Suha Abrahim

The Trump administration has decided to end the legal protection status for Afghans and Cameroonians living in the United States. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has declared the conditions in Afghanistan and Cameroon no longer needed US protection. This decision will affect approximately 14,600 Afghans and 7,900 Cameroonians who are under the protection of the United States which grants them temporary safety from conflict and instability.

These individuals are living under temporary protected status (TPS). TPS is granted to people of designated countries which face conditions such as armed conflict or environmental disasters. Critics have argued that fighting in Cameroon between the government and separatists has been waged since 2017 and the Taliban government has been accused of human rights abuses. Afghans are expected to have their protection end in May and Cameroonians in June. The trump administration has attempted to end TPS protections for other nationalities as well to crack down on immigration.