March 17, 2025 @statedeptspox
Washington, D.C. – U.S. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce addressed concerns today regarding a purported ban on Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applicants, stating that no such list exists and that policies concerning Afghan allies remain under review.
In response to a reporter’s question during a press conference, Bruce dismissed claims that a list barring Afghan allies from entering the U.S. had been issued. “First of all, there is no list. What people have been looking at these past several days—it’s not a list that exists here,” she clarified.
She further explained that President Trump’s executive order has initiated a review process aimed at enhancing U.S. national security, which includes assessing policies regarding Afghan allies. “There is a review through the President’s executive order for us to look at the nature of what is going to help make America safer,” Bruce stated.
Regarding Afghans who assisted U.S. forces during the two-decade war, Bruce reaffirmed that previous commitments remain under consideration. “When it comes to Afghanistan, those who helped us, the arrangements we made in the past, and getting as many people from that conflict here—certainly those who assisted us and worked with us—that’s a policy and dynamic that we’ve worked on even from the previous administration,” she added.
The statement comes amid growing uncertainty surrounding the SIV program and Afghan refugees following the Trump administration’s recent restrictions on immigration. While flights carrying Afghan refugees had been halted, the State Department has not provided clear guidance on when or if they will resume.
Advocacy groups have urged the U.S. government to honor its commitments to Afghan allies, emphasizing that many former interpreters, military contractors, and embassy staff remain at risk under Taliban rule. The administration’s review process will likely determine the future of these programs in the coming weeks.
