A U.S. federal appellate court has ruled in favor of the Trump administration, granting it the authority to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for thousands of immigrants from Afghanistan and Cameroon. The decision paves the way for the possible deportation of thousands who have been living legally in the United States due to unsafe conditions in their home countries.
The ruling, delivered on July 19, 2025, marks a significant legal victory for former President Donald Trump, who has long criticized humanitarian protections like TPS as being “misused” and too lenient. The court sided with the administration’s argument that conditions in both Afghanistan and Cameroon have improved enough to justify ending protected status for their nationals.
TPS is a humanitarian immigration program created under the Immigration Act of 1990, allowing individuals from countries experiencing armed conflict, environmental disasters, or extraordinary conditions to live and work legally in the U.S. on a temporary basis. While the program is designed to be temporary, it is often extended for years due to prolonged instability in the home countries.
According to government estimates, around 11,700 Afghan nationals and 5,200 Cameroonians are currently enrolled in the TPS program. However, approximately 3,600 Afghans and 200 Cameroonians hold green cards or other forms of permanent residency, meaning the court decision will directly impact an estimated 13,100 people.
Those who lose their TPS status will be required to leave the country unless they can successfully apply for asylum, special visas, or other legal pathways. Immigration attorneys warn that many could face deportation to countries still grappling with violence and political unrest.
The decision has drawn condemnation from immigration advocacy organizations, human rights groups, and legal experts who argue that both Afghanistan and Cameroon remain unsafe for returnees.
Cameroon, for example, continues to experience armed conflict in its Anglophone regions, where government forces and separatist militias have engaged in violent confrontations. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have both documented torture, extrajudicial killings, and mass displacement in the region.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan faces ongoing instability following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, with widespread repression, especially against women, minorities, and former government employees. Many critics argue that returning Afghan nationals would be tantamount to sending them into danger.
Legal action against the decision has been led by CASA, an immigrant rights group that filed a lawsuit to block the policy. In its filing, CASA argued that the move is not only unlawful but also racially discriminatory.
“This administration is systematically dismantling protections for people from predominantly Black and brown countries,” a CASA spokesperson said. “At the same time, it is creating pathways for immigration from majority-white nations. This is not immigration reform — it’s racial exclusion under legal cover.”
This ruling is part of a wider rollback of humanitarian protections under Trump’s renewed presidency. Since returning to office in January 2025, the administration has aggressively moved to terminate TPS designations for migrants from Honduras, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Haiti, citing national security and economic interests.
For now, Afghan and Cameroonian TPS holders face an uncertain future. Many must decide whether to file for asylum—a process that can take years and is far from guaranteed—or begin preparing for deportation.
Advocates are urging Congress to act by introducing legislation that could offer permanent residency pathways to long-term TPS holders. Some lawmakers have already expressed alarm over the court’s decision and its humanitarian implications.
As immigration policy becomes increasingly politicised in the United States, this latest ruling highlights the fragile nature of humanitarian protections. For thousands of Afghans and Cameroonians who have built their lives in the U.S., the decision represents not just a legal setback—but a deeply personal crisis.
Whether additional lawsuits or political pressure will reverse the tide remains to be seen, but for now, the threat of deportation is no longer hypothetical—it’s real and rapidly approaching.
