Raffensperger asks Trump administration to halt deportation of Afghan Christians

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is asking the Trump administration to halt the deportations of Afghan Christian refugees in the United States.

In a letter addressed to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, Raffensperger said he has “deep concern” after the department revoked protections from deportation for Afghans, along with Cameroonians.

“I respectfully urge DHS and the Administration to pause this decision for at least 90 days and to consider granting Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or similar legal relief to these individuals,” Raffensperger said.

“These refugees, many of whom have already applied for asylum and possess documentation of lawful parole, face a credible threat of imprisonment, torture, or death if returned to the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.”

Citizens from both Afghanistan and Cameroon have been protected under Temporary Protected Status (TPS) since 2022. It prevents them from being sent back to their home country due to dangerous conditions and instability.

The courts have blocked similar efforts for other countries by Noem and the administration, but the situation has caused concern and uncertainty.

Afghan advocates say the deteriorating conditions in the country have been exacerbated by the Biden administration’s 2021 military withdrawal, citing food insecurity and safety issues for women under the Taliban.

Raffensperger criticized former President Biden’s “haphazard” withdrawal from Afghanistan and said it was faith-based organizations that supported vulnerable Afghans, particularly Christians. They then made their way to the U.S. through “lawful channels,” he said.

The Georgia secretary of state noted that Afghanistan, under the Taliban’s rule, is a dangerous place for Christians, who face targeted violence, persecution, and execution.

“Deportation, in this context, could constitute a violation of international law and moral responsibility,” Raffensperger wrote.

He asked Noem to immediately pause the deportation efforts against impacted Afghan Christians and for the administration to reevaluate their TPS eligibility.

“America has long stood as a beacon of hope to the oppressed and a defender of religious freedom. I respectfully request that DHS continue that tradition by extending protection to these Afghan Christian families,” he concluded. “Our nation’s moral leadership is defined not just by the policies we enact, but by the people we choose to protect.”

Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to The Hill that Noem made the decision to terminate TPS for individuals from Afghanistan because the country has improved its security situation and its economy no longer prevents “them from returning to their home country.” 

“Additionally, the termination furthers the national interest and the statutory provision that TPS is in fact designed to be temporary,” McLaughlin said. 

She noted there are records that show certain Afghan TPS recipients who have been under investigation for “fraud, public safety, and national security.” 

Updated at 8:20 p.m. EDT