ATLANTA — After Easter, Georgia Sec. of State Brad Raffensperger sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem asking for more time to vet Afghan refugees at risk of persecution for their Christian faith.
The refugees in question left their homes and came to the U.S. seeking asylum from the Taliban due to threats of persecution, or even execution, according to the letter from Raffensperger.
In 2023, then-Sec. of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas announced an extension of what’s called temporary protected status for Afghan refugees through May 20.
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The Department of Homeland Security told Channel 2 Action News that for any TPS extension, the Homeland Security secretary is required to consult with federal agencies to review conditions for a country with the status.
If the secretary determines the country “no longer meets the statutory conditions” for TPS, it must be terminated, according to a department spokeswoman.
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In March, Homeland Security said Noem determined that Afghanistan “no longer continues to meet the statutory requirements for its TPS designation” and the TPS status was terminated.
“Secretary Noem made the decision to terminate TPS for individuals from Afghanistan because the country’s improved security situation and its stabilizing economy no longer prevent them from returning to their home country,” Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement shared with Channel 2 Action News. “Additionally, the termination furthers the national interest and the statutory provision that TPS is in fact designed to be temporary.”
McLaughlin also said that there were multiple Afghan nationals who had been given protected status that “have been the subject of administrative investigations for fraud, public safety and national security.”
Channel 2 Action News has asked the Department of Homeland Security for more information about the administrative investigations mentioned and is waiting for further details.
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