Washington, D.C. – January 26 2025
President Donald Trump’s decision to pause foreign aid has led to the suspension of flights for over 40,000 Afghans who were approved for Special Immigrant Visas (SIV) and are now stranded in peril, a prominent advocate and a U.S. official told Reuters. The Afghans, many of whom worked alongside U.S. forces during the 20-year conflict in Afghanistan, face the threat of Taliban retribution.
Shawn VanDiver, the head of #AfghanEvac—a leading coalition of veterans and advocacy groups collaborating with the U.S. government on Afghan evacuations—revealed to Reuters that the majority of those affected remain trapped in Afghanistan. Others are stranded in Pakistan, Qatar, and Albania, unable to continue their journeys due to the halt in flights.
VanDiver told Reuters that he does not believe that the flight suspension was intentional.
“We think it was a mistake,” he said.
The decision has sparked frustration and concern among advocacy groups, who argue that the delay endangers lives and undermines America’s commitments to those who risked their safety to support U.S. operations. “This pause is not just an administrative hiccup—it’s a life-or-death situation for tens of thousands of people,” an SIV advocate said.
The SIV program, established to assist Afghan interpreters, support staff, and their families, has long been a lifeline for those targeted by the Taliban for aiding U.S. efforts. The halt in funding and transportation comes amidst growing international scrutiny of U.S. policy towards Afghan allies post-withdrawal.
