The Long Journey to Safety Continues: America’s Unkept Promise to our Afghan Allies
On May 12, 2025, The Department of Homeland Security announced it would revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghanistan, putting thousands of Afghans in the United States at risk of deportation. Just weeks later on June 4th, President Trump signed a proclamation banning nationals from 12 countries, including Afghanistan, from entering the United States. Although the ban includes an exemption for Afghans eligible for the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) status, many at-risk Afghans, including those who worked to advance the U.S. mission in country such as former government officials, teachers, human rights defenders, women and girls, will be devastatingly impacted by the ban. This ban is layered on top of other injustices that have impacted Afghans, as one of the first steps President Trump took upon taking office was to shut down the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). The refugee ban has prevented refugees in need of protection from getting to safety in the United States, and halted essential services for those who arrived recently, including Afghans impacted by the withdrawal of U.S. troops in 2021.
DHS’ decision to terminate TPS for Afghanistan ignores the documented threats and instances of violence and persecution targeting women, girls, human rights activists, those who served with the U.S. military, and other vulnerable groups. Thousands of Afghans contributed to the U.S. mission. Their lives—and their families lives—were irrevocably changed due to that service. It is imperative that we honor that service by upholding our promise to bring those still in harm’s way to safety, and to prioritize permanent protection and stability for the Afghan service members and their families who now call the United States home.
The physical and mental toll of conflict
I worked at a resettlement agency in rural Vermont in 2021, helping to resettle Afghan men, most of whom had served the U.S. mission, in some capacity. Like many refugees, they faced barriers to acclimating to their new lives, like learning a new language and navigating unfamiliar systems. However, several things set them apart from my other clients who came from countries like Syria, Yemen, and Ukraine.
These Afghan men had the unique experience of integrating into American military culture during their service. Many had notions about what life would be like in the United States based on their experiences with the military, and they often suffered from the long term impact of this service, like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). When these men were evacuated, not only did they have to adapt to living in an unfamiliar country, they simultaneously made the jarring shift from military to civilian life.
While many refugees have experienced significant trauma, most have not served in combat, which carries with it unique burdens. PTSD and other mental health issues are often inadequately addressed by the medical providers available to the general public, and even less so by those caring for Veterans. The added challenge of addressing language barriers, a lack of culturally competent healthcare providers, and limited access to comprehensive mental health care meant that many of my clients who were struggling to cope with trauma fell through the cracks, despite our best efforts to connect them with support.
The journey of our new Afghan neighbors has been incredibly difficult. And now, those who arrived here shortly before President Trump took office are having an even harder time accessing these essential services. Because of the Trump administration’s halt of the USRAP and related services, they won’t have access to crucial support needed to connect with healthcare providers and complete applications for medical insurance. Many people will struggle to navigate these processes. For others who will be impacted by the end of TPS, they could be deterred from seeking the care they need due to fear of deportation.
Families left behind
Integrating into a new community while coping with the aftermath of serving and living in a conflict zone is challenging enough, the family separation almost all of these men have had to navigate has added an additional layer of difficulty.
My former clients had spouses, children, siblings, and parents who remained in Afghanistan, often suffering steep consequences due to their familial ties to the United States. One client recounted his wife telling him over the phone that their daughter had been beaten by a member of the Taliban when she did not give the Taliban money. Knowing that her father had served with U.S. forces, the Taliban member went to their home looking for payments, and threatened to come back and further harm the family if they did not give money to the Taliban.
Many of my former clients heard similar stories from their families. They worked long hours, many paying for rent in the United States and sending the rest of their money to family in Afghanistan. While their families lived in a state of duress, fearing retribution from the Taliban, my clients had to watch their children grow older through phone screens. Rather than being able to start new lives with their families here, it seemed as if they were stuck between their old lives, and the new ones that the conflict had forced upon them.
Under the Biden Administration, the State Department Office of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE) operated evacuation flights to help bring family members of evacuees and other vulnerable people in Afghanistan to safety. Just days into his first term, President Trump halted these relocation flights and the administration plans to close the CARE office entirely. Now, Afghan evacuees have to live knowing that their family members are thousands of miles away and in danger.
The way forward
Immediately after the fall of Kabul, many of these Afghan evacuees received humanitarian parole, allowing them to live and work in the United States for two years. Before the two years is up, parolees had to apply to renew their status, a burdensome process that puts people in a race against the clock to ensure they do not lose legal status. Many of the Afghans admitted under this parole qualified for a limited visa program known as the Special Immigrant Visas (SIV), which is a program available to Iraqis and Afghans who worked for the U.S. government or military. To receive SIV status, applicants must provide detailed accounts of their service and numerous documents verifying it. The application process is time-consuming and complicated by backlogs, which meant that for many, the two year timeframe offered by parole wasn’t enough to complete and receive a decision on their application. Moreover, individuals who worked within the Afghan government as judges, prosecutors, police, etc. were not eligible for SIV, and had to apply for asylum – a complicated process for many.
While humanitarian parole gave temporary relief, the journey to permanent safety for our Afghan neighbors has been fraught and is nowhere near done. Despite being airlifted to the United States, waiting weeks or months at military bases to pass comprehensive security screenings, and enduring the physical and mental trauma of serving and living in a conflict zone, the road ahead to a permanent and stable legal status has been and continues to be filled with bureaucratic barriers, Congressional inaction, and political apathy.
With the end of TPS, and Congress’ continued failure to pass legislation like the Afghan Adjustment Act, thousands of Afghans remain in legal limbo and thousands more are waiting in Afghanistan and other countries to be reunited with family members and brought to safety.
While the safety of so many of our Afghan allies hangs in the balance, there are actions that both Congress and the administration can take to uphold our promise to honor their service, and ensure that our allies and other vulnerable people are protected.
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- Reinstate TPS for Afghanistan: human rights organizations like Human Rights First have documented continued and severe threats of torture and violence toward many vulnerable groups in Afghanistan. The United States cannot send people back to danger and must reinstate TPS.
- Rescind the Travel Ban: The travel ban targets nationals from countries facing significant humanitarian and economic crises, such as Afghanistan, and prevents them from seeking safety. Although it offers an exemption for Afghans eligible for SIV, many who served with U.S. forces but are not eligible for the program are still at risk of persecution due to their ties to the United States.
- Resume refugee processing and funding for operations of resettlement organizations: Afghan allies and their family members who have arrived in the past few months will not get the services they need like case management, English classes, job skill training, and more due to President Trump’s pause on refugee resettlement. Resettlement agencies are a lifeline for refugees navigating complicated systems and settling into their new communities, and they must be resumed.
- Increase the SIV Cap: In 2024, Congress added an additional 12,000 SIV visa slots for Afghans, and extended the program through December 31, 2025. The visa cap should be increased to at least 70,500, and the deadline to apply should also be extended for at least two years.
- Pass the Afghan Adjustment Act: The Afghan Adjustment Act provides a pathway to permanent status for Afghans evacuated in 2021, would provide relocation assistance for family members and others left behind, and would expand eligibility for SIV.
- Maintain the Office of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE): A new press statement from the Secretary of State lays out a plan to drastically reorganize the Department of State which would eliminate CARE. The CARE Office is essential to providing relocation and other services to Afghans and their family members who served the U.S. mission there.
