Afghanistan Peace CampaignTrump said that individuals who faithfully fulfilled their assigned duties would be given attention and recognition.
Donald Trump, President of the United States, emphasized Washington’s loyalty to those who served alongside U.S. forces in Afghanistan, responding to concerns over the risks Afghan allies face if returned.
Trump said that individuals who faithfully fulfilled their assigned duties would be given attention and recognition.
“We know the good ones and we know the ones that maybe aren’t so good. You know, some came over that aren’t so good. And we’re going to take care of those people, the ones that did a job, the ones that were told certain things,”He said.
In response, the Afghan Evac organization welcomed Trump’s statement in a press release, urging immediate attention to the fate of Afghan evacuees in Qatar and to the processing of over 15,000 pending family reunification cases.
Part of the statement reads: “Commit to the immediate and streamlined processing of all outstanding family reunification cases—estimated to number over 15,000—through both the I-730 process and the DS-4317 refugee pathway. These cases represent spouses, children, and other close family members of Afghans who served alongside the United States or who have already been lawfully admitted. Continued delay in their reunification undermines our national values and places these families at unnecessary risk.”
The organization also called on the Trump administration to demonstrate that America remains strong by honoring its commitments and standing by its former allies in practice.
One Afghan with a pending U.S. immigration case, speaking anonymously, said: “We ask the U.S. President to end the long wait for those of us whose cases are in process, restart the reviews, and rescue us from this limbo in Pakistan.”
Meanwhile, criticism has intensified following Trump’s decision to terminate the “Enduring Welcome” program on September 30, which had been designed to facilitate the relocation of Afghan allies of U.S. forces.
U.S. Congressman Joe Morelle commented: “We made them a promise in exchange for their courage and their loyalty. Failing to honor that promise now sends a dangerous message to future allies that America cannot be trusted to stand by those who stand with us.”
Ali Reza Karimi, a migrant rights activist, said: “To build trust, the U.S. government must make the acceptance process transparent and publicly outline the criteria for selection.”
Previously, on his first day in office, President Trump signed an executive order suspending refugee admissions. Earlier in June of this year, another executive order restricted visa issuance for citizens of 12 countries, including Afghanistan, a move that sparked widespread criticism.