US State Department Halts Visa Processing for Afghan Allies Globally; Special Immigrant Program Suspended by Trump Administration

Trump Administration Suspends Visa Processing for Afghan Nationals

WASHINGTON D.C. – In a sweeping move, the U.S. State Department has issued a global directive ordering its diplomatic missions to cease processing all visa applications from Afghan nationals. This decision, conveyed in a cable seen by Reuters, effectively suspends the critical Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program designed for Afghans who supported the United States during its two-decade presence in their country.

Immediate Impact on Afghan Allies

The cable, dispatched to all U.S. diplomatic posts on Friday, mandates that consular officers immediately reject both immigrant and non-immigrant visa applications from anyone holding an Afghan passport, including those seeking SIVs. This follows a separate indefinite halt earlier in the week by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on processing immigration requests for Afghan nationals.

The policy shift comes shortly after a significant incident where a former member of a CIA-backed Afghan unit was accused of shooting two U.S. National Guard soldiers in Washington, D.C., resulting in one fatality. While the State Department referred to a statement by Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Platform X (formerly Twitter) about “pausing” visa issuance for “ALL individuals” traveling on Afghan passports, the cable itself cites the need to ensure “the applicant’s identity and eligibility for a visa under U.S. law” as the reason for the halt.

Widespread Concern and Administrative Ramifications

Shawn VanDiver, president of AfghanEvac, a volunteer group dedicated to supporting Afghan allies, voiced strong criticism of the administration's actions. He asserted that the cable is part of a deliberate, months-long effort by the Trump administration to prevent all Afghans from entering the United States. “There is no doubt this is the outcome they have been driving toward for months,” VanDiver stated in an email.

The implications for current applicants are severe. Although scheduled appointments will not be canceled, consular officers are now instructed to refuse visa issuance during these interviews. Furthermore, any authorized visas that have not yet been printed are to be reversed and canceled, while printed visas must be destroyed, and their cases updated in the system as rejected.

Prior to this suspension, approximately 200,000 Afghans had entered the U.S. through refugee and special visa programs by 2021. An additional 265,000 Afghans outside the U.S. were still undergoing application processing, including about 180,000 within the SIV pipeline – individuals who directly assisted the U.S. government.

Broader Immigration Crackdown

Since returning to office in January, President Trump has made immigration enforcement a cornerstone of his administration, deploying federal agents to major U.S. cities and tightening border security. This latest series of restrictions, particularly in the wake of the recent attack, suggests an intensified focus on legal immigration pathways as part of a broader crackdown.