More than 1,600 Afghan refugees eligible for resettlement in the United States are now at risk following President Donald Trump’s executive order indefinitely suspending the refugee admissions program.
The movement, titled Realignment of the US Refugee Admissions Programwas signed Monday evening, causing panic among Afghan refugees, particularly among children awaiting reunification with family members in the United States.
The suspension is expected to take effect on January 27, ending ongoing resettlement processes and prohibiting new applications.
Shawn VanDiver, founder of the advocacy group AfghanEvac, criticized the decision, saying: “We cannot afford to leave these people behind.
Their lives are in danger because of their association with the United States. »
Since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, the United States has resettled more than 190,000 Afghans, many of whom worked with the U.S. military or American NGOs. However, advocates warn that the ban could harm thousands of people, including 200 minors awaiting family reunification.
The ban provides a narrow exception, allowing admission of refugees only by joint decision of the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security. Critics say this fails to address the scale of the crisis.
“Failing to protect our Afghan allies sends a dangerous message to the world: U.S. commitments are conditional and temporary,” AfghanEvac said in a statement.
VanDiver noted that most of the affected Afghans have completed rigorous security checks or are in the final stages, with some already scheduled for resettlement flights.
“People are panicking,” he said, highlighting the uncertainty and fear among those waiting to be relocated.
While senior Trump officials, like national security adviser Mike Waltz, have supported Afghan resettlement, others, including Stephen Miller, have opposed almost all immigration.
Advocates and lawmakers are urging the administration to change the order, citing the United States’ moral obligation to those who aided its mission in Afghanistan.
Without intervention, many fear the move will erode confidence in U.S. commitments and jeopardize future alliances.
