U.S. to Revoke Deportation Protections for Afghans and Cameroonians Under Trump Administration
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced that thousands of Afghans and Cameroonians living in the United States will soon lose their Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a program that has shielded them from deportation and allowed them to work legally.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has concluded that current conditions in both Afghanistan and Cameroon no longer justify the continuation of the program, according to DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
TPS, which is typically granted for 18-month periods and subject to renewal, was previously extended for Afghans by former Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in September 2023. That extension was set to expire on May 20, 2025. However, following inter-agency consultation and a review of country conditions, Secretary Noem opted to end the program early.
A similar decision was made for Cameroon on April 7. In total, an estimated 14,600 Afghans and around 7,900 Cameroonians are expected to lose their protections by May and June respectively.
According to DHS, the assessment was based on reviews conducted by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which evaluated political and security conditions in both countries. Afghanistan has remained under Taliban rule since the U.S. withdrawal nearly four years ago, while Cameroon continues to face unrest in various regions.
This rollback is part of a broader shift in U.S. immigration policy under the Trump administration. Last month, officials also announced plans to cancel legal protections for over 500,000 migrants from countries such as Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela who entered under the Biden-era CHNV sponsorship program.
Individuals under that initiative have been notified that their status will expire by April 24, with instructions to depart the U.S. immediately or face potential enforcement actions.
The impact of these decisions has already been deeply felt. One Afghan woman, who asked to be identified only as Shukriah, described her distress after receiving a removal notice. Having arrived in the U.S. in January 2024 with her family after a harrowing journey across 11 countries, she said the threat of deportation has taken a toll on her mental and physical health.
Now seven months pregnant and living in Washington, D.C., she received an email from DHS on April 10 warning her to leave the country within seven days. “I can’t sleep, I’m constantly crying, and my legs hurt from stress,” she said. “I don’t know what will happen to us.”
Though her children may be eligible for certain protections, she and her husband face a more uncertain future. Her asylum case remains unresolved.
“Mistakes and policy changes are part of politics,” she said, “but families like mine are caught in the middle — and it’s terrifying.”
The Trump administration has also increased immigration enforcement in other areas. In its first month back in office, over 37,000 individuals were deported, according to data obtained by Reuters. The administration has further revoked student visas and cracked down on campus protests, particularly those tied to pro-Palestinian activism.
In one high-profile case, Mahmoud Khalil, a U.S. permanent resident, was ordered deported after participating in such protests. Held in detention since early March, Khalil believes his activism led to his arrest. “My arrest is the result of speaking up,” he said in a letter from the facility.
Secretary Noem later posted online defending the decision, stating, “Living in the U.S. is a privilege. When you glorify terrorism or harass others, that privilege ends.”
Khalil’s legal team said they plan to appeal the decision, arguing for his right to free speech.
As U.S. immigration policies continue to evolve, thousands of individuals and families now face the daunting task of planning uncertain futures, with little time and limited options.
