The decision by the Trump administration to halt visa processing for refugees has left Afghan refugees in Pakistan in a state of shock, particularly at an English language school in Islamabad, where many students and teachers are struggling to come to terms with the news.
Sayed Hasib Ullah, a 20-year-old teacher whose own resettlement application to the U.S. is still pending, described the emotional impact on the students. Once hopeful for a brighter future, many of them were left devastated, with some crying in class upon hearing the news on Tuesday.
For numerous students, especially those who fled the Taliban, the suspension of visa processing has intensified feelings of uncertainty and betrayal after years of waiting.
Fatima, a 57-year-old women’s rights advocate, had worked with U.S.-funded organizations in Afghanistan and was in the process of resettling in the U.S. along with her family. The news has shattered her plans to enroll her children in school and help her 22-year-old daughter complete her engineering degree in the U.S.
The school, which provides education to around 300 Afghan refugees, has become a crucial lifeline for those waiting for U.S. resettlement. With the latest decision, their futures are now even more uncertain.
Shawn VanDiver, founder of #AfghanEvac, estimates that between 10,000 and 15,000 Afghans are currently waiting for special immigration visas or resettlement in the U.S., facing long delays. Many have been instructed to relocate to third countries like Pakistan for processing, but now, with Pakistan beginning to deport tens of thousands of Afghans due to economic and security issues, the situation has become even more dire.
Moreover, nearly 1,660 Afghans who had been cleared for resettlement by the U.S., including family members of U.S. military personnel, now find their flights canceled due to the visa processing halt.
Students and teachers at the Islamabad school, who had been hopeful and had received travel documentation or positive communication, are now left in confusion. Many have reached out to UN agencies and the U.S. embassy for clarification, but have yet to receive clear answers.
As they continue to wait, Sayed Hasib Ullah expressed his frustration: “We’ve been waiting for three years with the hope of starting a new life in America, but now, after all the support we’ve given, we feel betrayed.”
Like Fatima, many refugees are now questioning the promises made to them, as they anxiously await further clarity from the U.S. government. “We helped you, and now we expect help back from you,” Hasib Ullah added, reflecting the shared sentiment of many of his fellow refugees.
