Afghanistan Peace Campaign
Afghan refugees evacuated for aiding U.S. forces face detention or deportation under strict immigration policies, leaving thousands uncertain about their safety and future.
Afghan allies who assisted U.S. forces in Afghanistan now fear deportation as Trump-era immigration policies halt visas, Green Cards, and Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs), reports The Guardian.
Ali, a former Afghan Air Force pilot evacuated in 2021, described the chaos during Kabul’s fall. He flew his military aircraft to Uzbekistan to prevent Taliban capture and now works as an Uber driver in the U.S. while continuing aviation training.
Thousands of Afghan SIV applicants, including interpreters, journalists, human rights activists, and former government employees, remain in legal limbo, awaiting relocation to the U.S., according to Reuters. Many face uncertainty and fear during routine immigration appointments due to policy suspensions.
The Trump administration halted SIV processing, Afghan visa issuance, and Green Card approvals after security incidents in the U.S., leaving refugee families separated and unable to reunite. Legal experts warn these policies endanger lives and violate commitments to Afghan allies, reports CNN.
Humanitarian organizations have called for resuming refugee processing, emphasizing that delayed relocation risks lives of those who aided U.S. missions. Over 130 groups issued a joint statement urging policy reversal.
Ali highlighted the human toll; his family fled Afghanistan, his fiancée remains under Taliban rule, and his 13-year-old sister faces restricted freedoms. Despite fears, he expressed gratitude toward the American people who supported Afghan refugees.
The policy freeze has broader implications, undermining U.S. credibility as a reliable ally and creating widespread fear among Afghan-American communities. Refugees now navigate uncertainty while the threat of deportation looms.
Without urgent policy intervention, Afghan refugees face life-threatening risks if returned to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. Advocates stress the U.S. must honor prior commitments to those who risked their lives alongside American forces.