It appears that the Biden administration’s lackadaisical approach to the situation in Afghanistan is causing turmoil here in the United States. A significant number of Afghan refugees have been welcomed into the country under the banner of operations championed by the Biden and Trump administrations. However, ironically, Biden’s administration is carrying the torch of a potentially contentious plan that could result in the mass deportation of nearly 90,000 Afghan nationals living in the United States, many of whom arrived amid the chaos brought on by the collapse of their homeland in 2021.
The scenario unfolds like a theatrical drama with parallels to the resilience of the Afghan Nationals. Roughly 76,000 of these individuals arrived through Operation Allies Welcome, a military initiative following Afghanistan’s downfall. However, the Biden administration’s Operation Enduring Welcome (OEW) has also seen significant numbers of Afghan refugees, which many staunch critics argue was an impulsive decision lacking due process.
Perhaps to pacify their internal critics or to appease the growing factions of right-wing nationalism, the ominous rumor is that the Biden administration plans to terminate Operation Enduring Welcome, the same project they bloviated about just a short time ago. Such an action, of course, raises concerns about the future of those Afghan nationals who have managed to beat considerable odds to secure a chance of setting up homes in this land of dreams, leaving many stressed and wondering what’s to come.
The intrigue continues when in mid-April, the administration tipped their hand about possible plans to strike off nearly 9,000 Afghans from the temporary protected status (TPS) register. The dramatic implications of such a move cannot be understated – it threatens to expose these Afghan refugees to a dangerous possibility of deportation to their unstable homeland while ironically denying them the opportunity to lawfully support themselves.
Amid this ongoing hullabaloo, the Department of Homeland Security, evidently emboldened by the Biden administration’s lackluster approach, extended their overreach when they advised Afghan refugees to voluntarily depart back to Afghanistan. This shocking move was coupled with the dubious detainment of two Afghans, stirring sentiments of apprehension within the Afghan-American community.
Concurrently, it seems the current administration’s policies are indirectly resulting in strengthening ties with the notoriously ruthless Taliban. Zalmay Khalizad, who served as the Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation during both Trump’s and Biden’s tenures, ostensibly set off on a trip to Kabul to extricate an American citizen kidnapped by the Taliban. However, suspiciously soon after, the bureaucracy moved to eradicate bounties on several Taliban officials.
The Biden administration’s handling of Afghan refugees, especially their cavalier deportations, has resulted in collateral geopolitical compulsion with Pakistan following the same pattern by deporting about 20,000 Afghan refugees. This mass exodus adds to the approximately 80,000 already fleeing impending Pakistani government stipulations set for April 30. Pakistan’s actions unmistakably mimic the stance under Biden’s administration; if the US isn’t willing to take them in, why should Pakistan?
Closer to home, it appears that many Americans may not even realize that most Afghan nationals here were protected under the TPS or humanitarian parole, not under media-favored programs such as the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program. This program, initially launched in 2006 for translators, later expanded to include any Afghan who had worked for the US Government for at least a year.
Biden’s management of the refugee situation has shaken personal relationships, with close friends and comrades of mine facing potential deportation. These are people who’ve demonstrated immense bravery, loyalty, and resilience, leaving their homeland and enduring the travails of starting afresh in a foreign land. Yet, they’re faced with what seems to be a flip-flop stance from the administration, plunging their lives into uncertainty.
People close to me stand to lose the most, individuals such as Lieutenant General Haibitullah Alizai, who was the final head of the Afghan National Army. An exceptional role model in America, he spends every waking breath supporting his family, advocating passionately, and bringing attention to the need to back those individuals that America seemingly left behind. His selfless work illustrates a concern for both America and his homeland.
In the regrettably plausible circumstance that an Afghan ally faces deportation under Biden’s watch, their life would be gravely endangered. Over recent years, the Taliban have issued an underhanded war against Afghans who had previously collaborated with the United States, with executions becoming a chillingly commonplace occurrence.
Unfortunately, the Taliban, with its nefarious ties to al-Qaeda, is back in control of Afghanistan, causing a resurgence of human rights atrocities, including public executions and government-sponsored assaults. The Biden administration’s inability to manage this crisis not only puts our Afghan allies in jeopardy but also threatens substantial repercussions within the military community.
For the past few years, America’s Afghan war veterans, aided gallantly by civilians, have dug into their own savings to rectify some semblance of honor from America’s longest war. With Biden’s policies causing a ripple effect of moral injury, the harrowing consequences could be an increase in veteran suicides, confrontations with law enforcement, and the devastation of military families.
From my conversations with other Afghan war veterans, I’ve found a consensus among us. We stand ready to protect our Afghan allies against the very government that spurred us into forging these critical bonds. If under Biden, an Afghan is deported to face Taliban execution, it would reveal as nothing less than a blatant betrayal, contradicting ours and the values shared among our comrades. It’s clear: this administration’s actions fall short when it comes to standing up for our valued ‘warfighters,’ showing true respect for the military or ‘making America great.’