Court stays effort to send Afghans home

A US appeals court has blocked for now a bid by President Donald Trump's administration to strip temporary protected status from thousands of Afghans in the United States, court documents showed, allowing them more time to argue the case.

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Monday's order by the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit granted an administrative stay on the termination until July 21, following a request from immigration advocacy organisation CASA.

The group's lawsuit against the US Department of Homeland Security challenged the termination of temporary protected status for Afghans and Cameroonians unveiled by the administration in April.

The DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment. At the time of the April announcement, it had said conditions in Afghanistan and Cameroon no longer merited the protected status.

The TPS programme provides protection against deportation and provides work permits for periods of six to 18 months to those from countries stricken by natural disaster, armed conflict or other extraordinary event.