Menendez Statement on Biden Administration’s Designation of TPS for Afghanistan

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement after the Biden administration announced the designation of Afghanistan for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for a period of 18 months:

 “As the United States continues to welcome and safely resettle Afghan refugees, I am encouraged that the Biden administration heeded our calls to designate Afghanistan for Temporary Protected Status. Extending TPS ensures that Afghans already living in the United States — women and girls, families and children, religious and ethnic minorities — have the ability to live in peace without fear of being forcibly handed over to the Taliban.

“I remain troubled, however, that we have not seen similar TPS designations for Cameroon and Ethiopia, two countries that clearly meet the requirements that Congress set forth for TPS designations. It is critical that TPS is not politicized to preference some countries over others. As I have said before, Black migrants are too often excluded when these important decisions are made. I will continue to urge the Biden administration to utilize TPS for countries experiencing armed conflict, environmental disaster, or extraordinary conditions that prevent people from safely returning home. The United States must continue to lead the world as a safe haven for refugees and migrants who are unable to return home.”

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