As the Trump administration moves to end the protection of thousands of Afghan people, faith leaders and supporters are warning about the potential deportation of Christian converts facing serious persecution under Taliban control.
Pastor Behanam Rathor, known as Pastor Ben, leads the Oklahoma Holasan Church in Oklahoma City, a congregation made up primarily of Christian refugees in Afghanistan. In an interview with Fox News Digital, he shared a tragic explanation of the dangers his Christian community is facing.
“If any of these Afghan Christians are deported to Afghanistan, the first thing that happens is that their husbands will be killed. “If they don't kill them, they will put them in prison and defeat them every night.”
The Ministry of Homeland Security could formally end the Temporary Protection Status (TPS) for Afghan citizens and force more than 9,000 individuals to return to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
Exclusive: Faith leaders urge Trump administration to rethink as Afghan Christians face deportation
Pastor Bashir, Pastor Ben's father and former underground church leader in Afghanistan, will baptize new followers at Oklahoma Holasan Church in Oklahoma City. The congregation, composed primarily of Christian refugees in Afghanistan, includes families fleeing Taliban persecution. (Courtesy: Oklahoma Holasan Church)
Secretary Kristi Noem (DHS) cited stabilizing the economy as justification, “improving security situation.”
“This administration is reverting the TP to its original, temporary intention,” Noem said. “We reviewed the terms of Afghanistan with our interagency partners, but did not meet the requirements for the TPS designation.”
Afghans' protected status is set to expire on May 20th, and the program will officially close on July 12th.
Noem added that ending the designation coincides with the administration's broader goal of eradicating fraud and national security threats in the immigration system.
Following the 2021 Taliban acquisition, TPS is allowing foreigners from countries facing other emergency situations that live legally in the United States, where then-President Joe Biden originally designated Afghanistan for TPS.
Some of the people at risk are members of Rev. Ben's congregation, many of whom say they have taken on a dangerous journey to legally reach the United States. He recounted the story of a group claiming to have travelled from Brazil to Mexico, including a 76-year-old woman and a 7-month-old girl.
“They had no food for weeks, they had no water for weeks, but they were willing to wait, faced all the difficulties and came to the United States in legal position,” he said. “Now, we've heard that those parolees have been revoked by the new administration. They haven't even given them a work permit.”
Afghanistan Christians face daily torture and persecution from their families: Watchdog group
The Afghans are holding documents and are currently evacuating in the US in Chaotic 2021 outside the monastery gate at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. Many Afghan Christians and allies were among those seeking rescue. (Courtesy: Oklahoma Holasan Church)
Fox News Digital contacted the White House about the pastor's concerns and received the following response:
“In parallel with the failed withdrawal of Afghanistan, the Biden administration illegally parole tens of thousands of Afghans to the United States, as well as violating hundreds of thousands of other aliens. Parole, temporary benefits are granted by cases for urgent humanitarian reasons or public interest. White House spokesman Kush Desai told Fox News Digital:
Advocacy groups, including persecuted support, recognized Afghanistan as a country of particular concern and petitioned Noem to acknowledge that asylum claims were properly reviewed and processed while Afghanistan Christians and minorities who recorded persecutions due to their religion or beliefs had TPS.
The petition highlights the Taliban's aggressive persecution of Christians, including arrests at border crossings, torture during detention and enforcement of laws that render Christian practices illegal.
Afghan refugees, including recent converts to Christianity, worship during their service at Oklahoma Holasan Church in Oklahoma City. Many congregations face deportation despite fleeing Taliban persecution. (Courtesy: Oklahoma Holasan Church)
Rev. Ben urges fellow Christians to stand in solidarity with their persecuted brothers and sisters.
“They need to make us their voice today,” he said. “We have freedom. They don't. We have all the comfort we have. They don't. But all they want is that the church is part of it.”
Click here to get the Fox News app
He also spoke directly to President Trump. “President, I fully support your deportation plan because we don't want criminals to live in the United States, but we need to be aware that you are not criminals among those who want to deport them.
“Please don't let them wake up this,” Pastor Ben said. “Let's keep the American dream alive.”
Morgan Phillips of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
