Hundreds of Afghans who assisted U.S. military operations and received Special Immigrant Visas are now receiving federal notices warning that their visa approvals have been revoked or denied, threatening their legal residency status. These individuals worked in various capacities, including custodial positions at the U.S. embassy, technology and engineering roles with U.S. contractors, and combat support as interpreters. Congress and the Biden administration established the Special Immigrant Visa program for Afghans in 2009, with the State Department issuing 160,000 such visas over time, including more than half since the U.S. embassy closure in 2021.
The federal government began issuing revocation notices toward the end of the Biden administration after suspecting that some supporting documents for SIV applications may not have been collected through proper procedures, raising potential fraud concerns. Advocates and immigration lawyers report that the frequency and volume of these letters exceed initial expectations and lack a discernible pattern regarding recipients. This development complicates the already limited pathways available to Afghans seeking to become U.S. citizens and establish permanent lives in the country.
The SIV process requires Chief of Mission approval, which demands employer verification letters and recommendations. After the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, verification became increasingly difficult as companies ceased operations and destroyed records. Additionally, concerns emerged regarding fraudulent documentation, including a prosecuted case involving a man sentenced to prison for accepting bribes from Afghan nationals in exchange for fabricated recommendation letters. To address these concerns, the Biden administration created a verification plan targeting individuals potentially connected to suspicious employers or letter writers.
The timing of these revocations coincides with broader restrictions on Afghan immigration pathways under the current administration. The refugee resettlement program has been halted, other visa processing has been paused, and Temporary Protected Status has been revoked for those already in the country. Afghan nationals interviewed by NPR expressed significant anxiety about potential deportation, loss of employment opportunities, and inability to pursue education or citizenship applications. Several described the possibility of returning to Afghanistan, now controlled by the Taliban and facing humanitarian crises, as unimaginable and potentially fatal.
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