Trump halts resettlement, Afghan refugees left in limbo

WASHINGTON: The United States has cancelled flights for around 1,660 Afghans, previously approved for resettlement, following President Donald Trump’s suspension of refugee programmes for at least four months.

The affected individuals include unaccompanied minors awaiting family reunification and Afghan nationals fearing Taliban retaliation due to their work with the US military, said Shawn VanDiver, founder of a veterans’ group assisting Afghan evacuations.

A US official, speaking anonymously, confirmed that names of those cleared for resettlement were removed from passenger lists of flights scheduled until April.

This includes 200 individuals who gained US citizenship after serving in the US military.

The White House website, now under Trump’s administration, cites “unsustainable migrant populations straining community resources” as justification for suspending refugee resettlement.

Thousands of other approved refugees, including those stranded in Afghanistan and Pakistan, now face uncertain futures. Many risk forced repatriation due to Pakistan’s expulsion policies.

Notably, nearly 200 Afghans with US-issued visas managed to reach America a day before Trump’s inauguration, under an agreement between Washington and Manila to expedite Special Immigrant Visas (SIV). Established in 2009, this programme supports Afghans who worked for the US government, extending benefits to their families.

The US withdrew from Kabul in 2021 and welcomed nearly 200,000 Afghans under President Biden. However, thousands remain stranded across the region, including in Pakistan, where 1.45 million registered Afghans hold UNHCR permits, extended by Islamabad until mid-2025. Despite this, human rights groups estimate over two million Afghan refugees in Pakistan.

In October 2023, Pakistan initiated a repatriation programme for undocumented Afghans, affecting even legal refugees. The International Organisation for Migration reports that 813,000 Afghans returned to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan due to these policies.

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In Iran, Afghan refugees face legal hurdles and discrimination. In 2024 alone, 750,000 Afghans were deported, and Tehran aims to expel two million by March 2025. Aid groups report Afghans make up 95 per cent of Iran’s prison population. Recently, Taliban authorities agreed to accept 1,500 Afghan detainees from Iran, though details remain unclear.

The humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan persists. International agencies report that 23 million people, more than half the population, require assistance, with 15 million suffering from acute food insecurity.