U.S. Court Lifts Block on Ending TPS for Afghans, Cameroonians

A federal appeals court on Monday lifted a temporary order blocking the Trump administration from ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for thousands of Afghans and Cameroonians living in the United States. The decision impacts approximately 14,600 Afghan nationals and 7,900 Cameroonians who have relied on TPS to legally remain in the country.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced in April that it would terminate TPS designations for Afghanistan and Cameroon, asserting that conditions in both countries had improved sufficiently to no longer justify protected status. The move sparked legal backlash from immigration advocacy group CASA, which sued DHS, alleging the decision was politically motivated and preordained.

In response, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit issued an administrative stay to pause the termination through July 21. However, in its latest ruling, the appeals panel sided with a lower court’s conclusion that while CASA presented a "plausible claim for relief," there was not enough evidence at this stage to justify delaying the agency’s decision.

"At this procedural posture, however, there is insufficient evidence to warrant the extraordinary remedy of a postponement of agency action pending appeal," the panel stated.

The ruling clears the way for DHS to move forward with ending TPS for nationals of the two countries, although legal proceedings may continue. DHS, which administers the TPS program, has not yet commented on the court’s decision.

The TPS program provides temporary legal status to nationals of countries experiencing armed conflict, environmental disaster, or other extraordinary conditions. The end of protections for Afghans and Cameroonians could trigger significant consequences for thousands of immigrants currently living and working in the U.S. under TPS.