Biden extends TPS to Afghan refugees

Washington DC: Afghan refugees in the United States will be allowed to stay for at least 18 months under temporary protected status (TPS), the government said Wednesday, a move that will help some of the thousands who arrived following the chaotic American withdrawal from their country.

“This TPS designation will help to protect Afghan nationals who have already been living in the United States from returning to unsafe conditions,” Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement announcing the move.

More than 76,000 Afghans were admitted to the U.S. following the U.S. withdrawal in August. Homeland Security has said that about 40% will eventually qualify for a special immigrant visa, a lengthy and complex process that ultimately provides permanent legal residency and a path to citizenship.

Most have now settled in communities around the U.S., with the largest numbers moving to Northern Virginia and the surrounding Washington, D.C., area; Northern California; and Texas.

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