Reports that the Trump administration may impose a travel ban on Afghan citizens have deeply alarmed Afghans who worked with U.S. forces and are awaiting resettlement. The White House is expected to announce the decision on Monday.
Estimates suggest that around 25,000 Afghans with approved U.S. resettlement applications now face uncertainty due to Trump’s recent orders. On his first day back in office, Trump suspended all refugee admissions, a move that has severely impacted former Afghan allies.
Now, AfghanEvac, a refugee support coalition, and several US media outlets have reported that Trump may take an even stricter approach by banning all Afghan entry into the US, even for those with valid visas. The reports have intensified fears among Afghan refugees in Pakistan.
Afghan US Allies Face Rising Uncertainty
Ahmadullah (a pseudonym), an Afghan living in Islamabad, worked on US-related projects in Afghanistan. He called Trump’s decision unfair. He fears that if the travel ban is enforced, his refugee status will become even more unstable.
“I’m completely confused—what is happening to us?” he said. “We supported the US mission in Afghanistan, and now we are abandoned in this dire situation.”
For three years, Ahmadullah and his family have faced severe financial struggles. Another former US non-profit employee in Rawalpindi said the new restrictions have deeply affected his mental health.
Living in a two-bedroom apartment with his wife and two daughters, he described delays in his asylum case and worsening financial difficulties.
“My daughters keep asking when we will go to the US,” he said. “I have no answers—what am I supposed to say?”
He added that rumours of a total ban on Afghan travel have only worsened his fears. “This will destroy all our hopes.”
His daughters, aged 13 and 11, previously attended school in Afghanistan, but now cannot continue their education in Pakistan. Afghan refugees are barred from public schools, while private schools require legal stay permits and high tuition fees.
Speaking to Afghanistan International, several Afghan refugees said they are trapped in worsening conditions. Many cannot work, their visas have expired, and they struggle to enrol their children in school.
Afghan Refugees Face Crackdown in Pakistan
A refugee waiting for US resettlement told Afghanistan International he could not speak freely because Pakistani police were stationed outside his home.
In the past three months, Pakistani authorities have intensified a nationwide crackdown on Afghan refugees, with mass arrests in Islamabad and Rawalpindi cities.
The crackdown escalated after Pakistan’s security agencies claimed that some Afghan refugees participated in violent protests organised by Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
Following these claims, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi ordered a large-scale operation against Afghan refugees. However, Afghans deny involvement, calling it an internal political issue in Pakistan.
Pakistan Sets 31 March Deadline for Afghan Departures
The Pakistani government has announced that Afghan refugees must leave Islamabad and Rawalpindi by 31 March.
Under this directive undocumented refugees will be arrested and deported to Afghanistan and those with valid visas must leave the capital city and Rawalpindi.
Last week, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar stated that even Afghans whose US asylum cases are delayed or rejected may face deportation.
Some landlords in Islamabad and Rawalpindi have told Afghan tenants to vacate their homes, while others refuse to rent to Afghans fearing police action.
Former US Allies Plead for Protection
Afghans who worked with the US government are calling on Trump to exempt them from the travel restrictions.
“We collaborated with the US in Afghanistan,” Ahmadullah said. “Now, the US must not abandon us. If Pakistan deport us to Afghanistan, we will face death threats.”
