Afghan Christian Pastor Begs Trump to Save Flock from Taliban’s Wrath as Refugee Protections End

The Trump administration’s decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghan nationals has sparked urgent pleas from faith leaders, warning of dire consequences for Christian converts facing deportation to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. Pastor Behnam Rasooli, known as Pastor Ben, leads the Oklahoma Khorasan Church, a haven for Afghan Christian refugees in Oklahoma City. He paints a chilling picture of what awaits his congregation if forced to return.

"Husbands will be slaughtered, wives enslaved, or they’ll face relentless torture in Taliban prisons," Pastor Ben told WTFNewsRoom, his voice heavy with the weight of their reality. The Department of Homeland Security, led by Secretary Kristi Noem, justified the TPS termination—set to expire May 20, with the program ending July 12—citing an "improved security situation" in Afghanistan. Yet, for the over 9,000 Afghans at risk, this claim rings hollow against the Taliban’s brutal persecution of Christians.

Pastor Ben shared stories of his flock’s grueling journeys to the U.S., like a group enduring a ten-month wait in a Mexican church sanctuary, including a 76-year-old woman and a 7-month-old girl, all to enter legally via the CBP One app. "They starved, lacked water, but clung to the hope of the American Dream," he said. Now, that dream is crumbling as legal protections and work permits are revoked.

Advocacy groups like Help The Persecuted are pushing for Afghanistan to be designated a Country of Particular Concern, urging Noem to extend TPS while asylum claims are processed. The Taliban’s crackdown on Christians—marked by arrests, torture, and laws banning Christianity—underscores the stakes. Pastor Ben called on Christians nationwide to amplify their persecuted brothers’ and sisters’ voices, saying, "We have freedom; they don’t. Be their voice."

In a direct appeal to President Trump, Pastor Ben endorsed deporting criminals but pleaded for mercy for those fleeing death. "Don’t let them lose their families, their lives," he urged, invoking the enduring promise of America’s refuge.