Crow Introduces Bill to Grant Vulnerable Afghans Temporary Protected Status
WASHINGTON — Congressman Jason Crow (D-CO), a former paratrooper and Army Ranger who serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and House Armed Services Committee, introduced the Afghanistan TPS Act, legislation that will protect Afghan nationals already in the United States against the threat of deportation by granting them Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
Crow’s bill provides certainty and stability for Afghans currently in the United States. This comes as conditions in Afghanistan remain extremely dangerous, and follows a previous decision by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to terminate TPS for Afghanistan.
This bill would designate Afghans under TPS until July 2029. TPS allows foreign nationals fleeing violence, conflict, and instability to live and work in the United States. Under TPS, individuals are rigorously and continuously vetted before they can receive this status.
“When I served in combat in Afghanistan, I fought alongside brave Afghans. Without their help, I may not be here today. After more than 20 years of war, we promised we’d protect those who protected us. The U.S. must live up to that commitment,” said Congressman Crow. “As many face violence and persecution in Afghanistan by the Taliban if they are sent back, our legislation would protect Afghans already here in the United States.”
Crow introduced this bill alongside Congressman Sam Liccardo (D-CA), Don Bacon (R-NE), and Maria Salazar (R-FL). It is endorsed by AfghanEvac, No One Left Behind, Global Refuge, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), and Refugees International.
“Thousands of Afghans risked their lives alongside our troops, fighting for freedom from a brutal regime,” said Congressman Liccardo. “Abandoning our promise to protect them does not merely stain the Trump administration, but it betrays the honor of every American. We regain that honor by supporting those who fight tyranny, by keeping our word, and by reclaiming our American identity as a radiant beacon of liberty to a dark world.”
“America should not turn its back on Afghan allies who risked everything to support our troops and our mission, especially after the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan,” said Congressman Don Bacon. “Many of these individuals were our allies who served bravely alongside American servicemembers, came here through lawful or humanitarian pathways, and are still going through the legal process here in the United States. The Afghanistan TPS Act of 2026 provides temporary protection and work authorization for eligible Afghans who are already here, while requiring biometric and biographic information and criminal and national-security background checks. This is not a permanent immigration status, but a responsible bridge for vetted allies and families who stood with America and could face persecution or death if forced back to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. I’m grateful to work with Reps. Crow, Liccardo, and Salazar on this effort to keep America’s promise to those who stood with us.”
“Afghanistan remains under Taliban control, and thousands of Afghans who sought refuge in the United States cannot safely return. Among them are families who stood shoulder to shoulder with American soldiers, risked everything to support our country, and would face persecution if forced to return,” said Congresswoman Salazar. “I am proud to co-lead legislation extending Temporary Protected Status for vetted Afghans already in the United States while maintaining strict criminal and national-security screening. TPS exists for moments like this.”
“Afghan allies risked everything for this country. They deserve to rest easy and pursue the American dream while their paperwork catches up, not live with fear hanging over every doctor’s appointment, every lease signing, every school drop-off,” said Shawn VanDiver, President and Board Founder of AfghanEvac. “AfghanEvac is proud to endorse the bipartisan Afghanistan TPS Act of 2026, introduced by Representatives Crow, Liccardo, Salazar, and Bacon, and we urge Congress to pass it without delay.”
“Our Afghan allies did not stop being our allies when their status changed. Afghan partners took extraordinary risks on our behalf for twenty years, and the ongoing threats to their lives in Afghanistan are well documented. How we treat them now determines whether America has the same support in the next national security conflict,” said Andrew Sullivan, Executive Director of No One Left Behind. “Sending people who worked and sacrificed for the United States back to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan hands our adversaries a propaganda win and unnecessarily puts our allies at risk. This bill promotes national security by enforcing rigorous vetting and thorough security checks while protecting vetted Afghan nationals. No One Left Behind is proud to endorse this legislation, and we thank Representatives Crow, Bacon, Salazar, and Liccardo for the bipartisan work behind it.”
“The termination of TPS for Afghanistan remains as indefensible today as it was a year ago. Conditions in Afghanistan have only deteriorated, and it is simply not safe to force Afghans who have lived lawfully and peacefully in the United States to return,” said Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, president and CEO of Global Refuge. “Nearly five years after the fall of Kabul, we are grateful for the leadership of this bipartisan group of lawmakers urging restored humanitarian protections and efficient processing of applications for protection and work authorization. Their action is essential to ensuring Afghan families are not pushed back into harm’s way.”
“IAVA will always stand by our Afghan Allies. Our national security and credibility as a moral nation depends on how we treat those who saved countless lives of men and women in uniform for over two decades in Afghanistan combat,” said Dr. Kyleanne Hunter, CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA). “We are encouraged by Representatives Crow, Liccardo, Salazar, and Bacon for their leadership in the fight to uphold our promise to our Allies. While this bill offers a narrowly scoped, time-limited reprieve, we are hopeful that it can be a meaningful stepping stone towards a lasting pathway to citizenship. We are proud to support the steps this legislation makes, and Congress for recognizing that it’s long overdue to fulfill that promise.”
Congressman Crow has been a long-standing champion of our Afghan allies. Crow has highlighted the importance of the SIV program in U.S. Congressional hearings and worked to ensure the authorization of 12,000 additional Afghan SIVs in the State Department's foreign operations funding bill. He has demanded the Trump Administration answer for reported plans to transfer Afghan refugees to unsafe third-country destinations. He introduced the Afghan Adjustment Act to provide a legal adjustment process for Afghan allies already in the United States, helped introduce the Afghan Allies Protection Act to expand and extend the SIV program, and started the Honoring Our Promises Working Group following the announcement of the withdrawal to help expedite SIVs and U.S. Refugee Admissions Programs.
Full text of the bill is available here.
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