ISLAMABAD — A group of Afghans who escaped their homeland after the Taliban regained control voiced their concerns on Wednesday, urging U.S. President Donald Trump to exempt them from a recent order halting the relocation of refugees to the United States. Many of these individuals assert that they jeopardized their safety by aiding U.S. forces during the conflict.
Currently, around 15,000 Afghans are residing in Pakistan, awaiting approval for resettlement in the U.S. through a government program designed to assist those at risk under Taliban rule because of their collaboration with American agencies, media, and humanitarian organizations following the withdrawal of U.S. troops in 2021.
In a response to security concerns, Trump’s administration announced that the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program would be suspended for a minimum of three months starting January 27. During this time, officials from the Department of Homeland Security, in consultation with the State Department, are tasked with evaluating whether resuming the program aligns with U.S. interests.
Those Afghans who had already received approval to come to the United States prior to the suspension found their travel plans abruptly canceled by the government. This includes over 1,600 Afghans who had been cleared to relocate, comprising individuals who had worked closely with American military forces, along with their families.
The situation in Pakistan is becoming increasingly pressing, raising concerns from officials about the future of 1.45 million Afghan refugees currently residing there, as they cannot remain indefinitely. An advocacy organization, Afghan USRAP Refugees, highlighted in an open letter addressing Trump and various legislators that many individuals risked their lives serving U.S. missions in roles such as interpreters and human rights advocates. They emphasized that the Taliban views them as traitors, putting them in grave danger should they return to Afghanistan, and note that conditions in Pakistan are also deteriorating due to arbitrary arrests and heightened insecurity.
Women, in particular, have been especially vulnerable since the Taliban has effectively barred their access to education. Hadisa Bibi, a former student who fled Kabul to Pakistan, shared her distress upon learning about the refugee program’s suspension. Once a university student, she described her experience as a women’s rights advocate and expressed a profound need for a swift resettlement to continue her education and ensure her safety.
Similarly, Mahnoosh Monir, who previously studied medicine in Afghanistan, also fled due to the suspension of her education by the Taliban. She lamented that life in Afghanistan has become untenable for women and that she had anticipated a more rapid resolution regarding her relocation.
The Taliban’s actions have led to the disqualification of 1.4 million Afghan girls from receiving an education, making Afghanistan the sole nation globally to prohibit female education at secondary and higher levels. Both Bibi and Monir are currently awaiting the results of their relocation applications amid an excessively long visa approval process for Afghans facing persecution.
The suspension of the U.S. refugee program has left many Afghans in a state of uncertainty. Farzana Umeed, an Afghan woman, expressed her distress over the announcement, emphasizing the difficulty of her current living situation in Pakistan, and fear of returning to Afghanistan, which she described as fraught with danger. She called upon Trump to reconsider his decision.
Additionally, journalists who escaped from Taliban-controlled areas are experiencing considerable anxiety, subject to the persistent threat of arrest and deportation, according to Reporters Without Borders. The organization is calling for Pakistan to safeguard these journalists, many of whom are facing challenges in extending their limited visas.
Many Afghans were scheduled to fly to the U.S. in January, February, and March following interviews conducted by the International Organization for Migration. Ahmad Shah, a member of the Afghan USRAP Refugees group, has urged for the refugee program’s ban to be lifted on humanitarian grounds.
Beyond Pakistan, over 3,200 Afghans are presently housed in Albania, a NATO member that had initially agreed to host them for one year before final relocation to the United States, with a willingness to extend their stay if necessary due to any visa complications.
