Samar and his family are part of the tens of thousands of at-risk Afghans who were evacuated from Kabul following the Taliban’s return in 2021.
They were flown out on US-organized flights to temporary refugee centers in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Now, four years later, Samar, whose name has been changed for security reasons, is still waiting for his resettlement to the United States through specialized refugee programs.
The dream of resettlement seems increasingly distant, especially after former President Donald Trump announced a new travel ban on June 4 that includes Afghanistan among 12 countries cited for national security threats.
Living in a temporary refugee center in Abu Dhabi while his wife and four children are housed at a facility in Qatar, Samar expressed his fear regarding the uncertain future.
“We are still hopeful that we will be given permission to move to the United States,” he said, adding that the prolonged uncertainty has drained his family emotionally and physically.
The travel ban, which begins on June 9, also affects citizens from countries such as Iran, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
Those from these nations will be denied entry into the United States unless they qualify for exemptions outlined in Trump’s proclamation.
The new restrictions do allow for some exemptions for Afghan nationals, particularly those eligible for the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program, which was established in 2001 for Afghan individuals employed by US military and diplomatic missions.
Stephen Yale-Loehr, an immigration attorney and professor at Cornell Law School, noted that the travel ban might face legal challenges, but it’s likely that courts will uphold the ban.
He pointed out that in 2018, the Supreme Court upheld a previous travel ban on similar grounds, asserting that presidential authority on immigration and national security matters is extensive.
This proposal to ban travel from certain countries comes at a time when the United States also suspended its Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) for at least three months.
This suspension has significantly impacted many Afghans awaiting resettlement, particularly around 15,000 living with temporary visas in Pakistan according to local authorities.
Muska, a former Afghan media worker, expressed her shock over the travel ban, voicing concerns about the lack of attention to the plight of Afghans.
“We were shocked by that announcement, but didn’t lose hope because it said ‘suspended,’ not ended, so it seemed there was still a possibility,” she stated.
However, as she contemplated the new travel ban, she felt trapped.
“We Afghans are just stranded here, and it seems no one cares about what will happen to us,” she lamented.
Under the Taliban regime, Muska cannot return to Afghanistan, where women’s rights and freedoms have been drastically limited.
Life in Pakistan is also deteriorating for many Afghans like her, who rely on temporary visas that must be renewed monthly.
Compounding these challenges, the Pakistani government has launched a crackdown on undocumented Afghan refugees, deporting over 800,000 since early 2023, according to the United Nations.
Additionally, 1.4 million registered Afghans have until the end of June to return to Afghanistan, further heightening anxiety among the Afghan community in Pakistan.
Wali, a 30-year-old Afghan currently living in Islamabad, expressed deep concern about the implications of the travel ban.
After being cleared for US resettlement, Wali’s visa process has been on hold since January.
He fears returning to Afghanistan where he believes he will face persecution following his work with a US-affiliated NGO.
Despite the exemptions for SIV holders, he joins others in calling on the US government to extend these exemptions to all Afghans whose immigration visas are being processed.
“We all have worked together to support US efforts in Afghanistan,” Wali emphasized.
image source from：https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-travel-ban-afghanistan-taliban/33435096.html
