In a significant shift of policy guidance, American immigration advocacy groups are now advising Afghan nationals awaiting US resettlement to pursue safe haven in alternative countries. This recommendation stems from the stringent refugee ban implemented by the Trump administration, which has effectively closed official pathways to the United States.
Shawn VanDiver, a US Navy veteran and head of the #AfghanEvac coalition, delivered this sobering counsel during a virtual assembly with approximately 1,000 affected Afghans globally. He explicitly stated, ‘The President has declared that individuals from Afghanistan and several other nations are prohibited from entering. There exist no clandestine channels, alternative entries, or expedited processes.’ The official guidance now encourages families to establish lives elsewhere while monitoring the political landscape for potential future policy amendments.
The context involves multiple categories of Afghan applicants: approximately 180,000 individuals in the Special Immigrant Visa pipeline, an estimated 65,000 refugees, and 15,000 awaiting family reunification. While judicial mandates require continued processing of applications, actual visa issuances remain discretionary and have been effectively halted.
Complicating the situation, the Department of Homeland Security recently proposed new regulations extending work authorization processing to 180 days for asylum seekers. However, the agency acknowledged that current backlogs could extend wait times between 14 and 173 years, making the system practically inaccessible.
This policy environment follows President Trump’s sweeping refugee ban enacted on January 20, 2025. Although litigation ensued, the courts ultimately ruled that while the administration could suspend new refugee admissions, it could not block individuals with already-approved documentation.
Concurrently, the administration has empowered Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers with broad authority to detain legally admitted refugees who haven’t obtained permanent residency. This represents a dramatic departure from previous policy under which failure to secure a green card wasn’t grounds for detention or removal.
The situation further intensified with the decision to close Camp As-Sayliyah in Qatar, a transit facility housing over 1,000 pre-screened Afghans awaiting US transfer. The State Department has begun offering financial incentives for voluntary departure before the March 31 closure, with reports indicating offers of $4,500 per main applicant plus $1,200 for additional family members.
These developments occur alongside a massive re-vetting initiative targeting up to 80,000 Afghans admitted during the Biden administration, prompted by a security incident involving a former CIA asset. Advocacy groups emphasize the need to distinguish between individual criminal acts and collective responsibility, warning against broad immigrant vilification.