logo
Afghans in Kentucky fear for future after Trump strips deportation protections

Afghans in Kentucky fear for future after Trump strips deportation protections

Hindustan Times29-05-2025

*
Afghans resettled in US under Biden thrive in Kentucky town
*
Community fears limited lives for girls if they are sent back to Afghanistan
*
Trump administration to end temporary protected status for Afghans in July
BOWLING GREEN, Kentucky, - Afghan asylum-seeker Wazir Khan Zadran and his family arrived in Kentucky nearly four years ago as the U.S. military withdrew from his country. Now, he worries about the future of his children, especially his girls, if they are forced to return to Afghanistan.
The Trump administration said it will end Temporary Protected Status for Afghans in July - raising the threat of being sent back to Afghanistan, where the Taliban rule according to Islamic law, if their asylum case is unsuccessful.
"The future of children is bright here and they can study here, they can have a good future here. If we go back to my country, they are not good, especially for the girls," Zadran said. "They cannot go to school, they cannot go to university, they can do nothing. So, I hope they will do some things for the refugees of Afghanistan."
Zadran was a tribal leader who fought 20 years ago against the Haqqani network, a powerful faction within the Taliban. He and his family were picked up in a helicopter by Americans in 2021 and taken to the Kabul airport for travel to the U.S.
His oldest daughter Zuleikha is now preparing for college next year, but without permanent status in the U.S., the risk of deportation looms over her. The Zadrans' asylum application is pending, which means they can remain in the U.S. until a final decision is made on their case.
TPS is available to people already in the U.S. who cannot return to their home countries due to armed conflicts, natural disasters or other extraordinary events. The Trump administration has moved to terminate the status for some 14,600 Afghans as well as hundreds of thousands from Venezuela and other nations.
'I discuss with my girls that you are lucky that you are here, that you are going to school, then you will finish school and go to college," Zadran said.
"But if we were in Afghanistan, they will not have this right. Their future will be dark. But, in my country, the future of girls is so dark, it's so bad for them."
The Taliban administration has barred girls over the age of 12 from school and women from university and has placed restrictions on women from traveling long distances without a male guardian. The Taliban says it respects women's rights in line with its interpretation of Islamic law.
Zuleikha Zadran is happy she has graduated from high school and is heading to college with a scholarship, despite her fears.
"Lately, I have been worried because people are saying that those without documents might be deported," she said.
"I am scared that it will make my future dark, but even with that fear, I am proud of what I have achieved. And I am full of hope for what's ahead."
Afghans in the U.S. can still request asylum, the Trump administration says.
"Although TPS was terminated as required by law, any Afghan who fears persecution is able to request asylum," said Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, adding that those with TPS revoked can apply for financial assistance to get resettled elsewhere.
'REALLY WORRIED'
More than 70,000 Afghans entered the U.S. under former President Joe Biden's 'Operation Allies Welcome' initiative following the Taliban takeover in 2021, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Over 300 settled in Bowling Green, an agricultural and manufacturing city that has received refugees over the decades from Cambodians to Bosnians to Congolese.
Unlike some other immigrant communities, Afghan families in Bowling Green aren't looking back - their investments and dreams are firmly rooted in the U.S.
One such family, the Habibis, bought a house here. Wahida Habibi speaks fluent English, has a wide circle of friends locally, works at a bakery with her husband and two years ago gave birth to a baby boy.
Zadran, meanwhile, works at a car dealership and is learning the business with the goal of opening his own soon. His main complaint is only that legal status cannot come fast enough - he initially thought that would happen in less than a year.
"And the last three years … I was like what's going on?" said Zadran.
Shawn VanDiver, the founder of #AfghanEvac, the main coalition of veterans and advocacy groups that coordinated resettlements of Afghans with the U.S. government, said Republicans need to stand up to Trump so that Afghans are not forced to return a country where their lives are in danger.
"The Taliban hasn't changed. The threats haven't changed," he said. "The only thing that has changed is the guy who sits behind the Resolute Desk."
People who worked with the Afghans on resettlement said the fear is palpable.
'The immigrant community, and especially the Afghans who have resettled a couple of years ago are really worried with all that's going on with immigration," said Albert Mbanfu, executive director of the International Center of Kentucky which helps resettle refugees.
Another Afghan asylum-seeker, Mohamed Azizi, said he is stressed.
"We worry because right now the situation in my country is so bad and we worry about going back and starting life from the beginning," said Azizi.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Trump hints at invoking Insurrection Act as LA protest turns violent
Trump hints at invoking Insurrection Act as LA protest turns violent

India Today

time30 minutes ago

  • India Today

Trump hints at invoking Insurrection Act as LA protest turns violent

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he is prepared to invoke the Insurrection Act -- a rarely used and controversial law that allows domestic deployment of the US military -- if unrest continues in Los Angeles, where protests have erupted over his immigration enforcement."If there's an insurrection, I would certainly invoke it. We'll see," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, defending his decision to send thousands of National Guard troops and 700 active-duty Marines to the streets of LA. "Last night was terrible, and the night before that was terrible," Trump federal response, which includes a $134 million deployment cost, has drawn fierce criticism from California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. Newsom accused the president of overstepping legal authority and turning troops into political pawns. "It's a blatant abuse of power," Newsom posted on X. The clash between state and federal leaders intensified after Trump deployed troops without Newsom's consent -- the first such move in decades -- prompting a lawsuit from California. Trump, however, doubled down, claiming the city would be 'burning' without federal intervention."They will stay until there's no danger," Trump said of the troops. "We're not going to let these places turn into lawless zones."advertisementHowever, city officials said most of the demonstrations have been peaceful. Mayor Bass confirmed more than 100 arrests but said, "ANYONE who vandalised or looted does not care about our immigrant communities."Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem vowed further raids, fuelling protest momentum nationwide. Demonstrators in LA and other cities continue to rally outside detention centres, demanding the release of immigrants and denouncing federal crackdowns. With inputs from Reuters

Watch: Masked looters hit Apple store, vandalise shops as LA protest turns chaotic
Watch: Masked looters hit Apple store, vandalise shops as LA protest turns chaotic

India Today

time30 minutes ago

  • India Today

Watch: Masked looters hit Apple store, vandalise shops as LA protest turns chaotic

A protest over immigration raids turned chaotic Monday night in downtown Los Angeles, as masked looters stormed an Apple Store and several other businesses. Police made multiple arrests as violence broke out and stores were vandalised. The city has seen days of public protests since the Trump administration launched a series of immigration raids on Friday. Amidst the chaos, a group of masked men broke into an Apple Store by smashing windows and stealing its products. They also painted graffiti on the building. advertisementVideos shared online showed other stores being vandalised as well -- including an Adidas store, a pharmacy, a marijuana dispensary, and a jewellery shop -- where shelves had been cleared. Officer Chris Miller from the Los Angeles Police Department said, "One woman was arrested at the scene of the Apple Store burglary." According to NBC Los Angeles, he also confirmed that two more people have been arrested. However, authorities have not released an exact number of arrests related to the Monday night the weekend, police had already arrested at least 50 people during unrest. Amongst them was one individual accused of trying to use a Molotov cocktail on police officers. LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said some protesters used commercial-grade fireworks against CALL FOR CURFEWDue to the damage and violence, the Historic Core Business Improvement District is urging the city to impose a curfew. Blair Besten, the executive director of the district, also asked for help from the National Guard to keep the area officials and local leaders have condemned the criminal acts that followed the peaceful protest. "Let me be clear: ANYONE who vandalised Downtown or looted stores does not care about our immigrant communities," Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). "You will be held accountable."Earlier that same day, a large group had gathered at Gloria Molina Grand Park for protest. TRUMP WARNS PROTESTS WILL BE MET WITH 'VERY BIG FORCE'US President Donald Trump warned people on Tuesday against protesting at the weekend military parade in Washington marking the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary."For those people that want to protest, they're going to be met with very big force," Trump told reporters in the White House's Oval enforcement agencies are preparing for hundreds of thousands of people to attend Saturday's parade, US Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Matt McCool said on Monday.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store