Appeals court blocks Trump administration from canceling temporary protection for Afghans

In a new development concerning the situation of thousands of Afghan refugees in the United States, an American appeals court issued a temporary order blocking President Donald Trump's administration from canceling the temporary protection status enjoyed by these refugees.

Court documents published on Monday stated that the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals granted an emergency request filed by the organization "Casa" which advocates for immigrant rights, leading to the extension of the administrative stay on the cancellation decision until July 21st.

This action came after a lawsuit was filed by the organization against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to challenge the decision made by the Trump administration in April to end the temporary protection granted to Afghans and Cameroonians. The administration argued that the conditions in both countries no longer warranted the continuation of this legal status.

According to the documents, the temporary protection for Afghans was set to expire on Monday, while the protection for Cameroonians is scheduled to end on August 4th, putting the future of thousands of immigrants who have been living in the United States for years at risk.

It is worth noting that the United States evacuated over 82,000 Afghans from their country following the Taliban's takeover of power in 2021, as part of emergency evacuation efforts after the withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan.

The judicial decision comes at a time when there is increasing pressure from human rights and international organizations to maintain the legal status of these refugees, especially given the unstable security and humanitarian situations in Afghanistan and Cameroon, making their return to their countries fraught with risks.