Afghanistan Peace Campaign
The U.S. State Department is continuing to process Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applications for Afghan applicants seeking relocation.
The U.S. government clarified that the citizens of Afghanistan with SIVs will not receive financial support from the U.S. upon arrival. They are expected to travel to the U.S. using commercial airline services and must have sufficient financial resources to support themselves after their arrival.
In contrast to the Biden administration’s stance, the Trump administration had previously cut off funding to resettlement organizations for immigrants. As a result, Afghanistan’s migrants will not receive federal assistance upon arrival, a policy that has left many individuals concerned about their future in the U.S.
The announcement from the State Department has done little to assuage the concerns of migrants, many of whom fear their relocation may be halted due to the Trump administration’s immigration policies. These individuals, who have assisted the U.S. military and government in Afghanistan, were expecting help with their resettlement.
The U.S. State Department acknowledged the legal challenges surrounding the suspension of the refugee resettlement programs for vulnerable populations from countries like Afghanistan. They refrained from commenting further on the status of other visa programs for Afghan nationals.
In response to the suspension of the Afghan relocation program, several influential U.S. Congress members wrote to President Trump urging him to reconsider his decision. They expressed concerns that this policy would endanger the lives of 200,000 Afghan allies who worked alongside U.S. forces in Afghanistan.
The legal and political uncertainty surrounding Afghan migrant resettlement continues to raise serious questions about the future of these individuals and the U.S. government’s role in assisting them.