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Without Temporary Protected Status, What's Next for Bay Area Afghan Refugee Community?

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A boy and girl walk out of a store adorned with American Flags and pro USA items October 24, 2001 in the "Little Kabul" district of Fremont, CA. The Afghan community in Fremont is showing support for the United States by displaying flags. Fremont has the largest Afghan community in the United States with approximately 50,000 living in the city. (Justin Sullivan via Getty Images)

The Trump administration has announced plans to end temporary protected status for people from countries including Afghanistan, Cameroon, Venezuela, and Ukraine as part of a broader strategy to limit immigration. The administration also put a halt on refugee resettlement programs, but made an exception for white South Africans who officials said were facing persecution in their home country. Critics have denounced Trump’s decision to welcome South Africans while leaving close to 8,000 Afghans, many of whom assisted the United States during the war there, vulnerable to deportation and death if they return home. We talk about our nation’s immigration policies and what it means for the Bay Area’s Afghan community.

Guests:

Ximena Bustillo, politics reporter, NPR; formerly food and agriculture policy reporter at Politico covering immigration, labor and equity issues

Pedro Noguera, dean and professor, University of Southern California Rossier School of Education; he was student body president of UC Berkeley in 1985 and one of the leaders of the anti-apartheid movement

Joseph Azam, Board chair, Afghan-American Foundation - non-partisan non-profit focused on advocating on behalf of the Afghan American community

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