U.S. Suspends Visas for Afghan Allies Amid Security Backlash

29 November 2025

In a dramatic and sweeping move, the U.S. Department of State has stopped processing visa applications for Afghan nationals including those eligible under the long-standing Special Immigrant Visa Program (SIV) in an abrupt reversal that has sent shockwaves through resettlement communities and advocacy groups worldwide.

According to a diplomatic cable seen by international media, consular officers across U.S. embassies and consulates were instructed on Friday to reject all immigrant and non-immigrant visa applications submitted by Afghan passport holders. The directive applies to pending visas, unprinted approvals, and new applications alike. Scheduled appointments will still proceed but result in visa denials; any printed visas will be canceled or destroyed.

The origins of this policy shift trace back to a tragic event earlier this week. A former Afghan commando, now identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is accused of ambushing two members of the United States National Guard near the White House in Washington, D.C. One soldier was killed, another remains in critical condition. The shooting has provoked outrage, prompting calls for increased border security and tighter immigration oversight.

In response, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on social media that visa issuance to all Afghan passport holders had been “paused.” The message, echoed in the State Department’s internal cable, framed the decision as necessary to safeguard public safety and national security.

For hundreds of thousands of Afghan nationals who served as interpreters, contractors, or otherwise supported U.S. forces during the two-decade Afghanistan engagement, the move represents a heartbreaking betrayal. The SIV program, created under U.S. legislation more than a decade ago, promised a pathway to protection and resettlement in the United States for those who aided American troops.

Advocacy groups and refugees alike have condemned the decision, calling it a cruel and sudden shutdown of the last viable escape route for many Afghans facing danger at home. Among them is AfghanEvac, which warned that this appears to be part of a broader effort to block Afghan immigration altogether.

The timing is particularly harsh for those who had already endured long wait times and layers of bureaucratic review. According to aid organisations, prior to this freeze about 200,000 Afghans had already been resettled in the U.S., while more than 265,000 remained abroad, many of them in the SIV pipeline hoping for final approval.

This policy shift comes as part of a broader crackdown on immigration initiated by the current administration. Just days earlier, federal authorities also paused or canceled refugee admissions and suspended asylum-related processing, affecting a wide range of displaced people and refugees beyond Afghanistan.

Legal experts and human-rights organisations argue that this abrupt reversal undermines decades of commitments made by the U.S. to Afghan allies who risked their lives alongside American troops. Many believe the freeze is not merely a reactive measure but part of a long-standing effort to curtail immigration from certain regions.

On the ground, the impact is already visible. Afghans waiting abroad for safety are left in limbo. Resettlement centres and NGOs are flooded with desperate calls. Many fear return to Afghanistan could mean persecution or worse. For families who believed their passage to a peaceful life was guaranteed by U.S. law, the sudden shutdown feels like a betrayal.

Meanwhile, refugees in the United States are watching anxiously. Questions swirl over whether their status will hold, or if the crackdown might extend to those already resettled. The U.S. immigration system appears poised for one of the most significant restructurings in recent decades, with far-reaching consequences not just for Afghans but for global refugee policy.

Whether this suspension is temporary or the beginning of a sweeping rollback remains unclear. Officials describe it as a “pause” and a matter of national security. Critics warn that it could become permanent, a stark end to the promise made to Afghan allies, and a fierce test of American values around asylum, gratitude, and protection.