White House Mulls Exemption for Afghan Christians Facing Deportation

The Trump administration is considering granting protection to Afghan Christians who are currently seeking refuge in the U.S., following increased pressure from notable Christian figures and organizations. This move comes just days after the U.S. announced they would be ending temporary protected status for many Afghan refugees, sources say.

Leaders and non-profit organizations alerted the administration about the perilous situation for hundreds of Christian Afghan refugees who faced potential persecution following the fall of Afghanistan to Taliban control after President Biden took office. chaotic implementation of President Donald Trump’s pact for withdrawing U.S. forces from Afghanistan, as reported by Politico reported On Friday, sources citing anonymous officials reported the information.

On April 11, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rescinded parole status from multiple Afghan individuals and stated that these people have only seven days to depart the United States, according to the report.

It wasn't evident how many Afghans got the email notification, reported the outlet, though NPR did not. reported That potentially thousands could be impacted since more than 9,000 Afghans were in the U.S. with temporary legal status as of September 2024. Revoking this parole might affect around 300 Christian Afghan refugees, reports indicate according to the Christian media outlet. CBN .

Franklin Graham, an influential evangelical leader who occasionally served as President Donald Trump’s spiritual advisor, had a meeting with the former president and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, as reported by Politico. Additionally, a group of Christian organizations allegedly asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and other GOP legislators to consider suspending the deportation process for Christian Afghan evacuees until further notice.

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The lobbying allegedly sparked policy debates inside the administration. Despite the fact that officials hadn’t reached a conclusive decision, they might suggest that those impacted seek asylum, according to the report.

"We suggest that both the Department of Homeland Security and the Office of the President implement a 90-day suspension on the choice to rescind the parole status or offer Temporary Protected Status to numerous Afghan Christian refugees who are lawfully applying for asylum within the United States," states part of the memorandum from the coalition as reported by Politico.

A Christian from Afghanistan who was tormented by the Taliban in 2021 but managed to rebuild his life in the U.S. while waiting for an asylum decision might face deportation, according to reports shared with the authorities.

Twenty-two members of a North Carolina church who were from Afghanistan also lost their legal standing, according to CBN.

A significant number of Afghan refugees in the U.S. had collaborated with the American military in Afghanistan, as reported by the Christian media outlet. The Taliban reportedly slain hundreds of those Afghans who were residing in Afghanistan and mistreated numerous others.

Several initiatives within the Biden administration provided provisional legal standing for Afghans escaping violence, unrest, and oppression following the withdrawal of U.S. troops. According to Politico, the Trump administration terminated these humanitarian safeguards.

The State Department office handling the Afghan resettlement initiative was instructed to prepare for closure by April due to the Trump administration’s efforts to reduce government personnel and expenditures, as reported by Reuters. reported In February, tens of thousands of Afghans who assisted the U.S. military in Afghanistan as well as families of Afghan-Americans serving in the military faced potential impact, the source reports.

The Taliban set stringent limits on girl-child education and shut down All hair salons in Afghanistan, meanwhile, have been operated under the control of the terrorist organization Al-Qaeda. revitalized in the country.