Over two years after the United States' withdrawal from Afghanistan, over 190,000 Afghans have been resettled in the US. The government has issued more than 33,000 special immigrant visas for Afghans in the fiscal year 2024. Despite these efforts, many Afghan evacuees remain in precarious conditions in at least 36 countries, awaiting decisions on their US applications. These individuals find themselves caught between borders due to delayed processing of their applications and uncertain resettlement plans.
Among the countries involved in hosting Afghan evacuees are Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Italy, and Germany. These nations have agreements with the US detailing conditions for the "temporary" relocation of Afghan citizens. However, many evacuees languish in facilities that range from makeshift government-run refugee housing to prison-like detention centers. In some cases, as seen at the "Emirates Humanitarian City" in Abu Dhabi, up to 2,700 Afghans were reported to have been arbitrarily detained by 2023. More than 17,000 people moved through this site between August 2021 and January 2022, yet fewer than 50 remain there today.
The US government has denied having a presence at sites where Afghans are held abroad. However, records indicate their involvement in establishing some of these sites. A State Department spokesperson remarked that "US government efforts to resettle eligible Afghans have been ongoing since 2021." While officials process applications, the US covers the costs of evacuees who are allowed to be present on third-country platforms with host country permission.
“US government efforts to resettle eligible Afghans with a legal immigration pathway to the United States have been ongoing since the suspension of operations at Embassy Kabul in August of 2021. These efforts continue today.” – State Department Spokesperson
Despite these efforts, many evacuees remain trapped with pending applications. As of April 2023, records show that 2,834 Afghans were in Qatar, 1,256 in the United Arab Emirates, 259 in Kosovo, and dozens more in other countries. Some evacuees have opted for dangerous routes through Latin America and the US-Mexico border to reach the United States.
“Other records we’ve obtained reveal letters upon letters of tireless appeals Afghan nationals made to US government officials – from detailing the lack of access to US embassies, lawyers and humanitarian and immigration-rights organizations to the untenable conditions to the collective trauma the community continues to endure,” – Sadaf Doost
Human Rights Watch warned in 2023 about arbitrary detentions at "Emirates Humanitarian City." The situation remains dire for those stranded in third countries. Many face long waiting periods and restrictive conditions, often without access to legal resources or support from humanitarian organizations.
The US government is actively working with countries like the UAE to determine resettlement options for remaining populations. Yet, the slow pace of processing applications and the complex immigration system pose significant challenges. As Shawn VanDiver noted, “The system is working as designed, but the system is designed to be difficult. It’s designed to make it hard.”
“Decades of US foreign policy directly displaced many Afghans,” – Laila Ayub
“We need a better wartime allies program,” – Shawn VanDiver