Afghans in the US fear for their future after a soldier’s death leads to a migration review, putting their residency and safety in limbo.
ANAHEIM: Afghans who assisted US forces during the war now live in fear following a deadly attack on National Guard soldiers in Washington.
The alleged shooter was an Afghan national, prompting President Donald Trump to halt migration from several countries and review residency grants.
A 31-year-old Afghan green card holder said the community is scared of being judged for one individual’s crime.
Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died from her wounds in what officials called an “ambush-style” attack last month.
Fellow Guardsman Andrew Wolfe, 24, was also shot and is fighting for his life.
The Trump administration announced a review of all residency grants for people from 19 countries, affecting around 1.6 million individuals.
Many Afghans now fear deportation back to a nation controlled by the Taliban they once opposed.
“I made my home in America, now this is my home,” sobbed Maryam, a 27-year-old who worked on US embassy projects in Kabul.
She and others interviewed asked not to be fully identified for fear of angering US immigration authorities.
Maryam described feeling a painful emptiness, stating she feels like she belongs nowhere.
Her work in Kabul involved producing education materials that portrayed the Taliban negatively.
She had big dreams for her country’s modernisation and women’s rights before the US withdrawal.
The Taliban’s takeover in August 2021 triggered a mass exodus of Afghans who had helped Western forces.
Khan described a harrowing four-day ordeal at Kabul airport with no food or water before escaping.
He finally reached the US after transiting through Qatar and Germany, undergoing two months of checks.
“We truly thank United States. They helped us a lot to come… and rebuild our life here,” he said.
Khan worked multiple jobs in Anaheim, California, and now owns a used car dealership and a triplex.
He was about to apply for US citizenship but says everything is paused after the Washington incident.
“Everybody is scared, whoever is having like a green card, a parole status, or they have applied for asylum,” Khan said.
He added that their dreams are becoming more difficult each day.
Maryam, who now works for an NGO, simply wants her green card application back on track.
“What the person did does not represent us,” she said of the Washington shooter.
“We are all committed to America; we are not the traitor, we are the survivor.” – AFP
