HRW: US Policy on Afghan Migrants Conflicts With Its Own Rights Report
Human Rights Watch has accused the United States of pursuing refugee policies that contradict its own findings on human rights abuses in Afghanistan.
In a statement, the organisation said the US State Department’s 2024 annual report on Afghanistan contains credible information about widespread violations, including arbitrary arrests, torture, mistreatment and executions, and acknowledges that the country remains a “dangerous” place.
However, HRW said Washington’s actions are inconsistent with these findings, noting that the US has moved to revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for thousands of Afghan refugees. The US has taken similar steps against refugees from Haiti, Venezuela, Honduras, Nepal and Nicaragua.
TPS is granted to people in the United States who cannot safely return to their home countries due to severe human rights conditions, natural disasters, war or unrest.
In April, the Department of Homeland Security announced it was ending TPS protections for thousands of Afghans. Earlier, a federal judge authorised the process to terminate TPS for Afghan and Cameroonian migrants.
On Tuesday, the State Department released its 2024 rights report, detailing severe restrictions on women, arbitrary detentions, extrajudicial killings, and the Taliban’s repression of civil liberties and free expression. HRW said these findings should compel Washington to protect, not expel, vulnerable Afghans.
