San Diego, CA – Today, Rep. Scott Peters hosted a press conference to highlight how recent changes to legal immigration programs are breaking our promises to our Afghan allies who fought side by side with U.S. troops for twenty years. Rep. Peters brought together local leaders and organizations working to help relocate and resettle Afghan allies, including AfghanEvac, a non-profit that has worked with the U.S. government to help relocate and resettle over 195,000 eligible Afghan allies since the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021.  

Afghans who have resettled in the United States have utilized the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, Humanitarian Parole, Temporary Protected Status, and Special Immigrant Visas and Operation Enduring Welcome. The Trump Administration has cancelled many of these programs, fired members of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE) team administering Operation Enduring Welcome, and included Afghanistan in the travel ban.  

“Anyone with the bravery to stand up to the Taliban is exactly the kind of person we should want in America. We stood by our word to support our allies after the Korean War and the Vietnam War, and it’s reprehensible that we’re failing our Afghan partners now,” said Rep. Scott Peters. “Breaking our promises to them also shows the world that the U.S. is not a reliable partner. We must stand with and support all our veterans, including those who were critical to our mission in Afghanistan.” 

“When U.S. servicemembers, diplomats, and aid workers went overseas to Iraq and Afghanistan in the early 2000s, we showed up with a promise. Starting on January 20th, the pathways to keep our promise were cut off, one by one, and the infrastructure behind them torn apart.” said AfghanEvac Founder and President, Shawn VanDiver. “AfghanEvac and our partners are fighting to reopen these pathways, to push Congress and the administration to do what’s right. The Afghan Adjustment Act and Enduring Welcome Act are part of that fight—clear, practical solutions that will bring stability back to the system and humanity back to our policies.” 

Our faith calls us to welcome the stranger and protect the vulnerable,” said Appaswamy “Vino” Pajanor, CEO of Catholic Charities Diocese of San Diego. “For those Afghan families who stood with America, we must now stand with them. We urge leaders to keep Enduring Welcome strong and ensure every family has the safety and dignity they deserve.” 

“Afghan allies are losing hope because those who have been left behind in Afghanistan are at risk of retaliation. Those who are evacuated to the United States are at risk of detention and deportation. They believe that the Trump Administration turned its back on them,” said Dr. Mohammad Rahimi, Executive Director of Afghan Family Services. “I call on the United States Congress to pass the Enduring Welcome Act as soon as possible. 

“Afghan lives are worth protecting every person, every story,” said Mihan Raufy, Immigration Attorney with Afghan Family Services. “The pain of forced displacement, the fear of deportation, and the struggle for safety are not just political issues, but human ones. We owe it to every Afghan man, woman, and child to stand up, speak out, and ensure that they are not abandoned in their time of need. 

More than 60,000 still remain in Afghanistan awaiting approval of refugee status and more than 170,000 are awaiting Special Immigrant Visas. The Trump Administration’s recent changes threaten their safety and add additional hurdles to the ongoing efforts to vet refugees and reunite them with family members. 

A recorded message from Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), author of the Enduring Welcome Act, can be viewed here. 

A livestreamed recording of the press conference may be viewed here.  

Additional photos from the event courtesy of the office of Rep. Scott Peters can be found here, and photos and other relevant materials courtesy of AfghanEvac can be found here.    

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