The Biden administration will not deport citizens of Afghanistan who are living in the United States without legal permission, the Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday.

DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced the implementation of Temporary Protected Status for Afghans in the country, allowing them to be protected from deportation and given the ability to work for the next 18 months. The policy means that Afghans brought to the U.S. in the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan last year, many of whom didn’t go through a formal process and weren’t fully vetted, will not be in line for removal.