The Trump administration has instructed US diplomats worldwide to halt visa processing for Afghan nationals, effectively suspending the special immigration program for those who assisted the United States during its 20-year occupation of Afghanistan.
A State Department cable sent to all diplomatic posts on Friday directed consular officers to reject any immigrant or non-immigrant visa applications from Afghan citizens, including applicants for Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs).
The move follows a Wednesday incident in Washington, DC, where a former member of a CIA-backed Afghan unit allegedly shot two US National Guard soldiers, resulting in one death. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed on platform X that all Afghan passport holders would have their visa issuance paused. The cable explained that the suspension is intended to “ensure the applicant’s identity and eligibility for a visa under US law.”
Shawn VanDiver, president of volunteer group AfghanEvac, described the action as part of a broader effort by the administration to block Afghan nationals from entering the United States.
While appointments already scheduled for Afghan applicants will not be canceled, consular officers are instructed to deny visas at the time of the appointment. Any authorized visas not yet printed are to be canceled, while printed visas should be destroyed and the cases updated in the system as rejected.
Earlier this week, US Citizenship and Immigration Services had already indefinitely halted processing of immigration requests from Afghan nationals.
Since 2021, around 200,000 Afghans have entered the United States through refugee and special visa programs, with an additional 265,000 applications currently in process outside the country, including approximately 180,000 in the SIV pipeline for those who served the US government.
Since returning to office in January, President Trump has emphasized strict immigration enforcement, deploying federal agents to US cities and limiting asylum at the southern border.
The recent visa suspension, following the Washington shooting, indicates an intensified focus on legal immigration, particularly affecting Afghan nationals who supported US efforts abroad. The administration has not provided further comment, and the White House did not immediately respond to inquiries.
