Not only do the Afghans themselves not understand their legal status, but the organizations that help them with the resettlement process act on statements from administration officials without clear instructions. “There is so much uncertainty, and without any operational guidance, we as an organization also feel a little lost on how to educate the community,” said Christine Peck, CEO of Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area, which helps resettle refugees in Washington and the surrounding area.
Krish O'Mara Vinarajah, president and CEO of Global Refuge, a major refugee resettlement agency, noted that the Trump administration has been rolling back protections for Afghans for months. In January, the president signed an executive order suspending the U.S. refugee program and then terminated agreements with resettlement agencies. In addition to imposing the travel ban, the Trump administration also temporary protected status revoked for thousands of Afghans earlier this year, which took effect in July.
“Afghan families in particular are deeply concerned. They are concerned about their own predicament. There is concern about loved ones still abroad whose visas are now frozen, and what that could mean if legal protections here become fragile or reversible,” Vignarajah said. Afghans who have assisted the U.S. military as translators or in other capacities may also feel a sense of “betrayal,” Vignarajah continued; Despite their assistance, at the risk of their lives and the lives of their families, Afghan allies are prevented from obtaining permanent residence in the United States.
