US Halt on Immigration Threatens Lives of Thousands of Afghans, Senate Committees Warn

On Wednesday, January 13, the US Senate Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration and the Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism held a session to review the “Parole” immigration program. The meeting highlighted the security risks faced by Afghans who have collaborated with the United States, emphasizing that recent decisions by the Trump administration to halt asylum programs and deport refugees have placed thousands of Afghans’ lives at risk. Experts present at the session cited women involved in health projects and security forces of the former Afghan government who, due to the suspension of the asylum process, face the threat of being returned to Afghanistan and severe restrictions under the Taliban. The committees called for an immediate review of asylum policies and the continued support for Afghans cooperating with the US to prevent threats to their lives and legal rights. This development comes as US President Donald Trump has imposed extensive immigration restrictions across the country. The US Department of State announced it will halt the processing of immigrant visas from 75 countries. The department stated yesterday that this measure is due to concerns over immigrants from these countries taking an “unacceptable” amount of welfare and social benefits provided by the American people. According to the Department of State, the visa suspension will remain in effect until the United States is confident that new immigrants will not misuse public resources. Countries affected include Somalia, Haiti, Iran, Afghanistan, and Eritrea. The Department emphasized that the goal of this action is to prevent abuse of the generosity of the American people.