by 
Hanifa Girowal, a former human rights worker under the Afghan government, is among the estimated 180,000 Afghans now living in the U.S. She vividly recalls the harrowing scenes at Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport in August 2021: crowds of desperate people, gunfire, and a week spent in hiding before boarding a flight to Qatar, then Germany, and finally Virginia. “I somehow feel like I’m still stuck in August 2021,” Girowal told Al Jazeera. “Everything just comes up again to the surface, and it’s like reliving that trauma.”
Since President Trump took office on January 20, his administration’s hardline immigration stance has intensified concerns for Afghans like Girowal. Despite having an approved asylum case, she fears deportation due to the unpredictability of current policies. “I am very much fearful that I can be subjected to deportation at any time,” she said.
### Trump’s Policies Sow Confusion
The Trump administration has taken several steps impacting Afghan immigrants, often with contradictory messaging. It terminated Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghans, claiming Afghanistan’s security and economy have stabilized—a claim disputed by human rights reports. Simultaneously, the administration added Afghanistan to a new travel ban list, citing national security concerns, effectively restricting visa access for Afghans.
Advocates highlight the inconsistency in Trump’s approach. While he has criticized the Biden administration’s handling of the 2021 withdrawal and pledged to “save” Afghans facing deportation from countries like the United Arab Emirates, his policies have tightened legal pathways for Afghans. The administration ended a special status for those who entered via the CBP One app at the southern border and has nearly halted the U.S. Refugee Program (USRAP). The Priority 1 and Priority 2 programs, designed for Afghans who worked with U.S. entities, appear to have been suspended, though the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program continues with limitations, such as requiring approved applicants to fund their own travel.
Adam Bates, a supervisory policy counsel at the International Refugee Assistance Program, noted that while SIVs and refugee programs offer a path to permanent residency, many Afghans rely on temporary measures like humanitarian parole, granted to tens of thousands in 2021. This status, extended in 2023, is set to expire soon, potentially leaving many undocumented and vulnerable to deportation. “It’s hard to make life decisions if you aren’t sure what’s going to happen tomorrow,” Bates said.
### A Global Trend of Neglect
The challenges faced by Afghans in the U.S. mirror a broader global trend. The Taliban, despite seeking international legitimacy, continues to face accusations of human rights abuses. Countries like Pakistan, Iran, and Germany have accelerated deportations of Afghans, with over 1.4 million expelled or voluntarily leaving Iran in 2025 alone, according to UNHCR. The UAE has also begun returning Afghan evacuees. “Afghanistan is no more a priority for the world,” Girowal said.
In the U.S., resettlement agencies are reeling from policy changes. Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area, for instance, laid off 120 staff members after a January stop-work order from the Trump administration. Nonprofits like Women for Afghan Women are diversifying funding to sustain support for Afghan communities amid ongoing uncertainty.
### Resilience Amid Fear
Despite the challenges, Girowal remains hopeful, drawing strength from the Afghan community’s resilience. “We are trained to be resilient wherever we are and fight back as much as we can,” she said, expressing hope that the U.S. will not abandon its Afghan allies.
Advocates warn that without clearer legal pathways, such as legislation for permanent residency, the Afghan community in the U.S. will remain vulnerable. For now, Girowal and thousands of others navigate a precarious existence, caught between the trauma of their past and an uncertain future.
