08-06-2025
US travel ban adds to uncertainty for thousands of Afghan immigrants
Kabul: Thousands of Afghans holding P1 and P2 US immigration cases remain in complete uncertainty as they await a response from the US government, following the White House's recent announcement of a travel ban, TOLOnews reported.
Many of these individuals had been stranded in third countries like Pakistan for over three years, relying on US promises for their cases to be processed. Some caseholders told TOLOnews that the new travel restrictions were causing significant concern.
Mohammad Javid Kohsari, a US immigration caseholder, said, "We hope the travel ban does not include immigrants or P1 and P2 case holders because about three years ago, we came to third countries based on US promises. Immigrants in Pakistan are grappling with numerous problems," TOLOnews reported.
Another holder of a US immigration case, who wished to remain anonymous, said, "We and other Afghans in Pakistan and other third countries who are awaiting the processing of our cases have completed most legal steps, including embassy interviews and health checks," TOLOnews added.
US President Donald Trump announced the travel ban targeting Afghan citizens along with nationals from eleven other countries, stating that these countries did not have their domestic situations under control. He said the goal was to keep "bad people" out of the US.
The United Nations emphasized that while every country has the right to manage its borders, any system put in place must respect human dignity. UN Secretary-General spokesman Stephane Dujarric said, "Our position globally has been that any system established in this regard must preserve human dignity."
Meanwhile, the US State Department clarified that Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghans was a temporary measure that could end at any time. Tommy Pigott, principal deputy spokesperson for the Department of State, said, "The temporary protected status is only one dynamic when it comes to many different ways that people from Afghanistan have come to this country."
The main concern remained about P1 and P2 cases--programs designed for vulnerable individuals such as civil activists and employees of international organizations. According to the head of AfghanEvac, these programs were currently suspended but, unlike the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program, were exempt from the travel ban.
