RASC News

Rudabe Applied Studies Center

  • Home
  • Afghanistan
  • World
  • Arts & Culture
  • History
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Women Studies
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • About
  • English
    • العربية
    • English
    • Français
    • Deutsch
    • پښتو
    • فارسی
    • Русский
    • Español
    • Тоҷикӣ
RASC NewsRASC News
  • Home
  • Afghanistan
  • World
  • Arts & Culture
  • History
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Women Studies
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • About
Follow US
© 2023 RASC. All Rights Reserved.
RASC News > Afghanistan > Reuters: Flights for Afghanistani Special Immigrant Visa Holders to the U.S. Suspended
AfghanistanNewsWorld

Reuters: Flights for Afghanistani Special Immigrant Visa Holders to the U.S. Suspended

Published 26/01/2025
SHARE

RASC News Agency: Reuters has reported, citing a senior U.S. official and a legal advocate, that flights and resettlement programs for Afghanistani citizens holding Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) to the United States have been suspended. This revelation follows earlier reports suggesting that, despite the suspension of relocation flights for other Afghanistani nationals identified as U.S. allies, the evacuation of SIV holders remained active. The halt in flights stems from an executive order issued by former U.S. President Donald Trump, which broadly curtailed foreign aid programs. This decision has effectively left over 40,000 Afghanistani SIV holders, previously approved for relocation to the U.S., in limbo. These individuals many of whom worked closely with U.S. forces during Washington’s two-decade presence in Afghanistan are now at heightened risk of retaliation by the Taliban.

Shawn VanDiver, president of a leading coalition of retired service members and advocacy groups working with the U.S. government on evacuation and resettlement efforts, confirmed that most of these stranded individuals remain trapped in Afghanistan, while others are scattered across countries such as Pakistan, Qatar, and Albania. The suspension follows directives for the U.S. State Department to reassess the alignment of foreign aid programs with national policy objectives. On Friday, the State Department announced a complete suspension of foreign assistance activities. The disruption has caused widespread chaos within relief operations, halting critical programs related to nutrition, healthcare, vaccination campaigns, and other humanitarian initiatives. Funding for organizations assisting Afghanistani SIV holders with housing, education, and employment in the United States has also been frozen, exacerbating the plight of thousands.

This suspension has sparked fears among SIV applicants, many of whom served alongside U.S. forces during the war in Afghanistan. These individuals, who now face direct threats from the Taliban, report concerns about detention, torture, and even execution. Afghanistani nationals currently stranded in third countries following the Taliban’s resurgence have also expressed alarm. They warn that without the processing of their immigration applications and eventual resettlement in the United States, returning to Afghanistan would likely result in dire consequences, including imprisonment, severe abuse, and death at the hands of the Taliban. Advocates and human rights organizations have urged the U.S. government to immediately resume these flights, emphasizing the moral and legal obligation to protect those who risked their lives in service to American interests. The suspension, they argue, undermines the credibility of U.S. foreign policy and leaves thousands of vulnerable individuals in precarious and life-threatening conditions.

 

RASC 26/01/2025

Follow Us

Facebook Like
Twitter Follow
Instagram Follow
Youtube Subscribe
Related Articles

The Taliban Group Attacked Hairdressing Salons in Herat Province and Threatened Their Owners

11/07/2023
Taliban Arrest Two Men in Herat for Raising Flags
Unidentified assailants murdered a woman in Herat and wounded three of her children
Taliban’s Double Standards: Drug Trade Banned in Badakhshan but Flourishing in the South
A Man Publicly Flogged by the Taliban in Paktika
- ADVERTISEMENT -
Ad imageAd image
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vivamus a odio ex.
English | Français
Deutsch | Español
Русский | Тоҷикӣ
فارسی | پښتو | العربية

© 2023 RASC. All Rights Reserved.

Removed from reading list

Undo
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?