A bipartisan group of US lawmakers has introduced legislation that would grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to vulnerable Afghans already living in the United States, drawing support from Refugees International and several refugee advocacy groups. The bill comes after the Department of Homeland Security moved to end Afghanistan’s TPS designation despite warnings that the Taliban continues to threaten people who worked with the US government and military.
Refugees International backs protection for Afghans
Rep. Jason Crow introduced the Afghanistan TPS Act alongside Reps. Sam Liccardo, Don Bacon, and Maria Salazar. The legislation would grant eligible Afghan nationals TPS through July 2029, allowing them to live and work legally in the United States while protecting them from deportation.
Crow said the United States has a responsibility to protect Afghans who supported American forces during two decades of war. He argued that many would face violence and persecution if the US forced them to return to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
The bipartisan bill follows the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to terminate TPS for Afghanistan, a move that refugee advocates and veterans’ organizations strongly opposed. Supporters of the legislation argue that conditions inside Afghanistan have deteriorated further since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.
Refugees International joined AfghanEvac, Global Refuge, No One Left Behind, and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America in endorsing the bill. Together, the organizations urged Congress to restore temporary protections while lawmakers continue debating long-term immigration solutions for Afghan nationals.
Thank you @RepJasonCrow for your leadership & introduction of the Afghanistan TPS Act.
Many Afghans fought alongside the U.S. against the Taliban. This bipartisan legislation will grant them Temporary Protected Status (TPS), offering work-authorization and protection from…
— Refugees International (@RefugeesIntl) July 24, 2026
Advocates said the legislation would provide stability for Afghans who entered the United States through humanitarian or lawful pathways and continue to undergo rigorous security screening. They also stressed that TPS does not create a pathway to permanent residency but instead offers temporary protection while dangerous conditions persist.
Several groups warned that deporting Afghans back to Taliban-controlled territory would expose many families to persecution because of their past work with the United States. Additionally, they argued that abandoning former Afghan partners could damage US credibility in future military and diplomatic operations.
Bill builds on wider effort to protect Afghan allies
The Afghanistan TPS Act forms part of a broader congressional effort to protect Afghans who supported the US mission before the withdrawal from Kabul. Previously, Crow backed legislation to expand the Special Immigrant Visa programme, introduced the Afghan Adjustment Act, and pressed the administration to improve protections for Afghan refugees.
The latest bill has bipartisan support in the House, although lawmakers must still secure approval in both chambers before it can become law. If Congress passes the measure, thousands of eligible Afghans could retain legal protection from deportation while instability and human rights concerns continue under Taliban rule.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan is neck-deep in a humanitarian crisis with over 5.5 million persons displaced in the country. Severe droughts have triggered food insecurity while funding cuts have complicated aid operations in the region.