FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 25, 2025

The Afghan-American Foundation is deeply alarmed by the USCIS memo ordering a retroactive, blanket review of refugee cases admitted between January 2021 and February 2025, and halting all green-card processing. This directive affects more than 200,000 people, including tens of thousands of Afghan allies who were lawfully admitted, extensively vetted, and met every legal requirement for refugee protection.

For Afghan allies, this is not a policy shift on paper. It is a retraumatizing directive that threatens the safety and stability of individuals who entered this country through legal channels, were fully vetted under U.S. law, and were welcomed into American communities. Many stood alongside U.S. forces, supported American missions, or fled targeted persecution after the fall of Afghanistan. They have already endured some of the most rigorous security vetting in the world, often multiple rounds. To subject them once again to re-vetting after they were lawfully admitted is unjust, cruel, and dangerous.

Afghans cannot seem to get a break. Since their evacuation, they have faced an unrelenting cycle of temporary protections, expiring authorizations, and shifting policies. Now, despite having followed every rule, complied with every requirement, and lived legally under U.S. law, they are once again being pushed into fear and uncertainty.

Reopening the cases of legally admitted refugees, after they have built homes, enrolled their children in school, paid taxes, contributed to the economy, and integrated into neighborhoods across the country, undermines America’s moral and legal commitments. It signals that even those who play by the rules and rebuild their lives in good faith may still be placed at risk. This is a betrayal not only of Afghan allies, but also of the U.S. veterans and the countless Americans who worked tirelessly to settle them in their new home.

AAF urges USCIS to rescind this directive, restore normal processing for lawfully admitted refugees, and ensure that Afghan families are not subjected to arbitrary reviews or threats of removal. We call on Americans—veterans, faith leaders, employers, and communities nationwide—to stand with Afghan allies and reject policies that put their safety and stability at risk.

Afghan refugees deserve stability, dignity, and safety—not suspicion or prolonged uncertainty. AAF will continue to advocate for our community and work with partners across the country to ensure America honors the promises made to Afghan allies.

For media inquiries, contact: info@afghanamericans.org