A Democratic bill with 3 Republican cosponsors · See all 5 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Afghanistan TPS Act of 2026 seeks to designate Afghanistan under section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. This designation would allow nationals of Afghanistan to be eligible for temporary protected status. The initial period of this designation begins upon the Act's enactment and ends on July 1, 2029. The Secretary of Homeland Security is tasked with receiving and processing applications for this status and related employment authorization. Eligible individuals must have been continuously physically present in the United States since the date of the Act's enactment.
Yes· 3 of 7
- Scored +8
Would immigrants be better off under this?
The bill directly benefits Afghan nationals by granting them legal status, work authorization, and fee waivers.
- Scored +7
Does this make it easier for immigrants already here to become citizens?
The bill provides a pathway to legal status and employment for Afghan nationals through Temporary Protected Status.
- Scored +6
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
The provision for fee waivers provides significant financial relief to low-income applicants.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Access to Temporary Protected Status and Employment: Nationals of Afghanistan can become eligible for temporary protected status and applications for employment authorization (Section 2.c.1.A).
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Streamlined Application Process: The Secretary of Homeland Security is required to complete the adjudication of applications no later than 90 days after receipt (Section 2.c.1.B).
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Flexibility for Travel: Individuals granted temporary protected status can receive prior consent to travel abroad for brief, temporary trips if they establish emergency and extenuating circumstances beyond their control (Section 2.e.1).
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Financial Relief: The Secretary of Homeland Security shall permit applicants to apply for a waiver of fees associated with filing for temporary protected status (Section 2.f).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Potential Delays in Application Processing: The Secretary of Homeland Security may extend the adjudication timeline by up to 150 days if there is derogatory information regarding an applicant that requires additional time to evaluate for national security interests (Section 2.c.2).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would immigrants be better off under this? — The bill directly benefits Afghan nationals by granting them legal status, work authorization, and fee waivers. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The provision for fee waivers provides significant financial relief to low-income applicants.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this make it easier for immigrants already here to become citizens? — The bill provides a pathway to legal status and employment for Afghan nationals through Temporary Protected Status. Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — By providing work authorization and fee waivers, the bill helps reduce financial hardship for Afghan nationals.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts? — The bill establishes specific timelines for application adjudication to ensure timely processing. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill expands the administrative role of the Secretary of Homeland Security in processing TPS applications.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to create jobs? — The bill facilitates employment authorization for Afghan nationals, which contributes to labor market participation.
- 11/9/2026
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 8/6/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Bill CassidyRepublican · Louisiana
Amy KlobucharDemocrat · Minnesota
Mark KellyDemocrat · Arizona
Lisa MurkowskiRepublican · Alaska
Thomas TillisRepublican · North Carolina