200,000 Afghans Blocked from US Entry as Resettlement Program Ends

The State Department office overseeing Afghan resettlement in the US has been directed to develop closure plans by April, according to a US official, an advocate, and two sources familiar with the directive. This move could block an estimated 200,000 Afghans from starting new lives in the US.

Family members of Afghan-American US military personnel, children approved for family reunification, and tens of thousands of Afghans who worked for the US government during the 20-year war could be affected if the office closes, sources said.

The potential closure of CARE could leave as many as 200,000 Afghans in limbo, preventing them from securing a future in the US despite their eligibility for resettlement.

“Shutting this down would be a national disgrace, a betrayal of our Afghan allies, the veterans who fought for them, and America’s word,” said Shawn VanDiver, founder of #AfghanEvac, a coalition coordinating resettlements with the US government.

The White House and State Department declined immediate comment. The development coincides with a broader administration push for diplomatic staff cuts and a $2 trillion federal spending reduction under directives from President Donald Trump.

Also See: US Plans to Shut Afghan Resettlement Office by April

The Office of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE) was established during the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021 to assist Afghans at risk of Taliban retaliation. Initially temporary, it became permanent in October 2022, expanding to resettle Afghans granted refugee status. So far, CARE has helped 118,000 Afghans relocate to the US.

Sources said it’s unclear who specifically ordered CARE’s closure planning. Proposed options include shutting down processing centers in Qatar and Albania, where nearly 3,000 Afghans—including over 20 unaccompanied minors—await US resettlement.

These individuals live in modular housing and receive basic support like food, but a Trump-ordered foreign aid freeze has ended mental health services and children’s programs at these centers, sources noted.

The closure options will be presented to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, with final decisions involving Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, a former US special forces soldier who served in Afghanistan.

This news is sourced from [The Frontier Post] and is for informational purposes only.