CONGRESSMAN JOE MORELLE FIGHTS TO KEEP AMERICA'S PROMISE TO AFGHAN ALLIES

(Washington, D.C.)—Today, Congressman Joe Morelle announced he has signed a discharge petition to force a vote on the bipartisan Afghanistan Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Act of 2026, legislation to protect Afghan nationals living in the United States from deportation to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. The legislation would provide eligible Afghan nationals with Temporary Protected Status through July 1, 2029, helping ensure those who supported American troops and their families are not forced to return to a country where they face the threat of persecution and violence.

“Our Afghan allies put their lives on the line to stand alongside American servicemembers, protect our soldiers, and support our mission overseas. Our country owes them an enormous debt, and we have a moral obligation to keep them safe,” said Congressman Morelle. “President Trump has subjected these brave individuals and their families to the constant threat of detention and deportation, treating their futures like a political game. His administration’s abhorrent immigration policies are putting lives at risk, and the possibility that we could send people who helped our country back into the hands of the very Taliban forces they helped us fight is unacceptable.”

"Afghans who stood shoulder to shoulder with American troops, diplomats, and aid workers are now being detained and deported to the very regime they helped us fight,” said Shawn VanDiver, U.S. Navy veteran and President and Founder of AfghanEvac. “Congressman Morelle has never wavered on this, and his signature on the discharge petition for the Afghanistan TPS Act tells our mission partners in Rochester and across the country that America still keeps its word. Promises aren't temporary. Every member of the House should stand with him."

“Keeping Our Promise thanks Congressman Joe Morelle for recognizing the serious humanitarian concerns facing our Afghan allies and their families by signing the discharge petition concerning Temporary Protected Status (TPS),” said Ellen Smith, Founder and Executive Director, Keeping Our Promise, Inc. “Many of the Afghan families we serve in Monroe County have relatives and friends who legally entered the United States through humanitarian parole or other authorized pathways, including individuals who subsequently applied for asylum. These families fled a country where the Taliban continues to impose extraordinary restrictions on women and girls, including denying girls access to education beyond the sixth grade. The United Nations has documented serious human rights violations against Afghans who have been forcibly returned. The termination of TPS for Afghanistan has created tremendous fear and uncertainty among families who sought safety in the United States. These are people who have followed established immigration procedures, built lives in our communities, and face the possibility of being returned to a country where they would lack fundamental freedoms. We appreciate Congressman Morelle’s attention to the humanitarian consequences of these policies and his recognition of the Afghan families who are now part of our Monroe County community.”

Following the United States' withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, thousands of Afghan nationals who had supported American military and diplomatic operations sought safety in the United States. In 2025, the Trump Administration terminated Afghanistan's Temporary Protected Status designation, stripping eligible Afghan nationals of critical protections and exposing them to the threat of deportation. Many of these individuals and their families remain at risk of retaliation and persecution under Taliban rule because of their past assistance to the United States.

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