Rights Group Says Trump Restrictions Leave Afghan Refugees at Risk
The Global Legal Aid and Advocacy for Refugees organization has said that new restrictions by Donald Trump’s administration have denied Afghan refugees access to safety and have left a number of people who worked with the U.S. mission in Afghanistan still at risk.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, 20 Asad, marking the fifth anniversary of the collapse of the republic, the return of the Taliban to power and the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, the group criticised Washington’s immigration policies. According to the organisation, years of delays in issuing Special Immigrant Visas, or SIVs, have also meant many former U.S. allies have still not reached a safe place.
The statement said: “The United States government is increasingly turning its back on Afghan refugees, including those who risked their lives to support the U.S. mission in Afghanistan.” The group added that the new restrictions have prevented these people from reaching safety.
Jennifer Patota, deputy director of legal services at the organisation, said the Trump administration had harmed the lives of families and communities that depended on these pathways by banning Afghan nationals from entering the United States. She also said the administration had failed to uphold its commitment to protect Afghan refugees by leaving its allies stranded outside the U.S.
According to the Global Legal Aid and Advocacy for Refugees organization, since late 2025, after the travel ban took effect and the issuance of immigrant visas for Afghan nationals was suspended, even the entry of some people eligible for Special Immigrant Visas has been halted. The group also accused the U.S. government of discriminatory treatment, saying only three Afghan nationals were resettled in fiscal year 2026.
The organisation also criticised the situation of Afghan asylum seekers inside the United States, saying some have been detained, stripped of their legal status and placed at risk of deportation. It said this situation has increased the danger not only for asylum seekers, but also for former Afghan military and U.S. institution partners in Afghanistan and in neighbouring countries.
After returning to the White House in early 2025, Donald Trump issued an order barring nationals of several countries, including Afghanistan, from entering the United States. He also cancelled the issuance of immigrant, student and tourist visas for nationals of some countries, including Afghanistan.
Under this order, thousands of Afghan nationals who face Taliban reprisals because of their cooperation with the U.S. military and institutions between 2001 and 2021 remain in Afghanistan and in some regional countries, waiting for Special Immigrant Visas. However, a U.S. court recently ruled that people with asylum status can invite their family members from Afghanistan, although other travel restrictions remain in place.
