The US ended Temporary Protected Status for Afghanistan on Monday, with officials assessing that the country is safe enough for Afghans to return to.
The Department of Homeland Security made the announcement in mid-May, with the termination taking effect on July 14.
The department said at the time that “conditions in Afghanistan no longer meet the statutory requirements” for TPS, which provides protection from deportation as well as the ability to work in the US to citizens of countries experiencing conflict or other crises.
TPS for Afghanistan was granted in 2022. The US withdrew its last troops from the country in August 2021, after the Taliban had seized control across Afghanistan and the US-backed security forces collapsed. The ignominious end to America's longest war continues to drive bitter debate in Washington.
Amid the chaotic withdrawal, Afghans who had worked with the US military fled the country out of fear of reprisals. Others, including soldiers, civil society leaders and former government employees, also left, flooding into neighbouring countries or making their way to the West.
It is estimated that as many as 11,700 Afghans have received TPS, though this can be held concurrently with another status that would allow a person to remain in the US.
Laila Ayub, co-founder of the Afghan community immigration justice organisation Project Anar, said the revocation of TPS leaves thousands of people in limbo. She said that taking away authorisation to work makes it more difficult for Afghans to have a sense of stability.
“Many people need that to have housing or, of course, to be able to work, but it'll impact many other things in their life very immediately as well, and it's taking away that protection that all these things really add up,” she told The National.
Ms Ayub, whose community immigration justice organisation was formed and led by Afghan-American women, highlighted the contradiction that the US sees Afghanistan as stable enough for citizens to return, but also includes the country on its travel ban list.
Last month, people from Afghanistan, and 11 other nations, were banned from entering the US after it was flagged as high risk because of the level of extremist activity there.
“Their justification for including all of the countries [in the travel ban] is that that country's government can't meet US standards for security and vetting and all these things,” Ms Ayub said. “But the impact is clear that all of it is making it harder for people here and for people pursuing pathways to the US.”
Shawn VanDiver, president of AfghanEvac, echoed that fear, saying it was a “really scary time for veterans, for our allies”.
“We hope to not see a bunch of Afghans being deported, but it seems like that's the path that we're on,” Mr VanDiver, whose organisation works to protect people who worked with US soldiers during the war.
“It seems like the truth is that the US government policy with regard to Afghanistan and relocations is still under review, but all of the indications are that they're trying to shut it all down.”
UK’s AI plan
- AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
- £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
- £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
- £250m to train new AI models
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Australia World Cup squad
Aaron Finch (capt), Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Steve Smith, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Jhye Richardson, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Lyon, Adam Zampa
The biog
Name: James Mullan
Nationality: Irish
Family: Wife, Pom; and daughters Kate, 18, and Ciara, 13, who attend Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS)
Favourite book or author: “That’s a really difficult question. I’m a big fan of Donna Tartt, The Secret History. I’d recommend that, go and have a read of that.”
Dream: “It would be to continue to have fun and to work with really interesting people, which I have been very fortunate to do for a lot of my life. I just enjoy working with very smart, fun people.”
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
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Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Omar Yabroudi's factfile
Born: October 20, 1989, Sharjah
Education: Bachelor of Science and Football, Liverpool John Moores University
2010: Accrington Stanley FC, internship
2010-2012: Crystal Palace, performance analyst with U-18 academy
2012-2015: Barnet FC, first-team performance analyst/head of recruitment
2015-2017: Nottingham Forest, head of recruitment
2018-present: Crystal Palace, player recruitment manager
PSA DUBAI WORLD SERIES FINALS LINE-UP
Men’s:
Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY)
Ali Farag (EGY)
Simon Rosner (GER)
Tarek Momen (EGY)
Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
Nick Matthew (ENG)
Women's:
Nour El Sherbini (EGY)
Raneem El Welily (EGY)
Nour El Tayeb (EGY)
Laura Massaro (ENG)
Joelle King (NZE)
Camille Serme (FRA)
Nouran Gohar (EGY)
Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)
The six points:
1. Ministers should be in the field, instead of always at conferences
2. Foreign diplomacy must be left to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation
3. Emiratisation is a top priority that will have a renewed push behind it
4. The UAE's economy must continue to thrive and grow
5. Complaints from the public must be addressed, not avoided
6. Have hope for the future, what is yet to come is bigger and better than before
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
