The U.S. State Department has ordered the Office of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE) to prepare for closure by April 2025, a decision that has raised significant concern among advocates and Afghans awaiting resettlement.
The decision affects some 200,000 individuals, including family members of Afghan-American U.S. military personnel, minors awaiting reunification with their families, and Afghans who supported the U.S. mission throughout the two-decade engagement in Afghanistan. This includes women-led households, human rights defenders and advocates among the first to face persecution by the Taliban.
If the office shuts down, thousands of Afghan allies will be left vulnerable and in danger – both those who are already in third countries awaiting resettlement and those still inside Afghanistan.
CARE was established in August 2021 during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and was tasked with relocating Afghans at risk of Taliban retaliation because of their association with the U.S. government. The office was made permanent as part of the State Department bureaucracy in October 2022 and has since facilitated the resettlement of 195,000 individuals from Afghanistan.
Shawn VanDiver, co-founder of #AfghanEvac, a coalition advocating and coordinating resettlements with the U.S. government, stated, “We don’t leave people behind. If they make this decision, it would be a wholesale betrayal of our Afghan allies, our veterans, and America’s word. It’s not too late to stop this – but only if we speak out NOW.”
“It was the first time in history that we stood by our wartime allies. These are the most vetted refugees who come to the U.S. It is safe and legal. They were welcomed here. Ninety percent of the American public supports this.”
Opponents of Afghan relocation cite security concerns, but the #AfghanEvac and other allies argue that Afghans are “the most vetted” refugees, arriving in the U.S. through strictly “legal” channels. See this infographic of the #AfghanEvac on the vetting process for Afghan allies.
The office tasked with the closure will present “option plans” to the Principals’ Committee, which includes Secretary Pete Hegseth from the Defense Department, Secretary Marco Rubio from the State Department, Secretary Kristi Noem from the Department of Homeland Security, and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. They “have the power in the next principals’ committee meeting to double down on our national commitment and make it smarter, faster, and better,” said VanDiver during a podcast interview.
The State Department’s decision to shut down CARE aligns with the administration’s broader immigration policy and its goal of cutting government spending by $2 trillion. However, the announcement was met with immediate backlash, as hundreds of advocates, organizations, and leaders condemned the move, warning that it reneges on the U.S. commitment to its Afghan allies.
The closure of CARE is expected to halt resettlement operations that have already been thwarted by recent immigration policy changes. Notably, President Trump’s Executive Order 14163 on the suspension of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) has left thousands of Afghans, who have been waiting in Pakistan for over three years and completed the rigorous vetting process required for refugee status, in a state of limbo. With Pakistan setting a March 31 deadline for Afghans awaiting relocation to leave, these individuals face increasing pressure and danger.
As the April deadline approaches, thousands of Afghans who risked their lives in support of U.S. missions await clarity on their future amid growing fears of being left behind in increasingly dangerous circumstances.
How you can help:
Call your Members of Congress and urge them to stop the closure of CARE and “keep America’s word to Afghan allies.” Here’s how you can find them easily: https://afghanevac.org/elected-officials
Sources: Reuters, X, #AfghanEvac, ABC News