Impact of Executive Order on Afghan Refugees: The Sultani Family’s Story

WASHINGTON — The Sultani family was nearing the final stages of their case to resettle in the U.S., but their plans were disrupted when President Donald Trump signed an executive order on January 20, suspending the relocation of refugees to the U.S.

Ahmad Zahir Sultani, a 50-year-old father who fled to Pakistan with his wife and four children after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021, expressed his family’s distress: “My family and I couldn’t sleep at night” since the executive order was enacted. “We are very worried … as we face an uncertain future,” said Sultani, who previously worked on U.S.-run projects in Afghanistan.

Just hours after being sworn in as the 47th President of the U.S., Trump signed the executive order that suspended the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) starting January 27. The Sultani family was identified as a Priority 1 case under this program.

The order stated, “This order suspends the USRAP until such time as the further entry into the United States of refugees aligns with the interests of the United States.” It also mandated the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to report to the president within 90 days regarding the program’s viability.

Every 90 days, a report will be submitted to the president until a determination is made that the resumption of the USRAP is in the interests of the United States.

Sultani and other Afghan refugees waiting in Pakistan for resettlement to the U.S. reported to VOA that remaining in Pakistan is becoming increasingly difficult due to ongoing crackdowns on Afghan refugees in Islamabad, where the Sultani family currently resides. “We are facing harassment and arrests by the police [in Pakistan]. And we can’t go back to Afghanistan as we fled because of the threats there,” Sultani explained.

According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, over 44,000 Afghans are in Pakistan awaiting relocation to third countries, with about 25,000 Afghan refugees waiting for resettlement in the U.S.

Fahimi Zahid, an Afghan activist living in Islamabad, shared with VOA that following the suspension of the relocation program to the U.S., Afghan refugees in Pakistan are “very concerned” about their future. “In the past, refugees had hope that the U.S. was in talks with Pakistan to ensure they wouldn’t face any harassment,” she noted. “But after the executive order, it is certain that Afghans would face further harassment and deportation.”

The U.S. State Department reported that more than 180,000 Afghans were relocated to the U.S. from August 2021 to December 2024 after the Taliban takeover. However, many thousands who assisted the U.S. during its two-decade involvement in Afghanistan are still awaiting relocation.

Shawn VanDiver, president of AfghanEvac, a coalition of organizations assisting Afghan refugees, stated that until the USRAP resumes, “there won’t be any travel. Refugees won’t be flying here or anywhere else.” U.S. media recently reported that flights for Afghan refugees scheduled for relocation to the U.S. were canceled just days before the order took effect.

VanDiver emphasized that the executive order primarily affects Afghan refugees with Priority 1 and Priority 2 cases, adding that efforts are being made to convince President Trump to issue an exemption for Afghan refugees. “People that pass security and are waiting for medical checks need to be prioritized for relocation,” he stressed.

Sultani conveyed the sentiments of many Afghan refugees who have been waiting years for relocation to the U.S., stating, “Going back to Afghanistan is not an option for us, and here [in Pakistan] we face many problems.”