Congress Must Protect Afghan Partners Who Risked Their Lives for the U.S.

America’s Promise to Afghan Allies The United States made a solemn promise to the Afghans who stood beside us. They served our mission, advanced our values, and believed our assurances of safety and freedom. Today, many face deportation back into the hands of the Taliban—a betrayal of both our word and our moral duty. A Washington Post investigation, “Trump Administration Makes Misleading Case in High-Stakes Asylum Hearing” (October 30, 2025), revealed that an Afghan refugee known as “H” was arrested in the U.S. even though his humanitarian parole was still valid. The government claimed Afghanistan was “safe” for his return—an assertion that defies reality. The Reality on the Ground The United Nations warned on October 23, 2025, that Afghans being returned face “arbitrary arrest, detention, torture, and ill-treatment.” Amnesty International and U.S. intelligence confirm that those who aided American organizations remain at grave risk. Yet deportations continue, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has ended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghan nationals, removing one of their last defenses from danger. A Politicized Appeals System At the heart of this injustice lies the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), the body that sets binding precedents for immigration judges nationwide. As the Post reported, the Trump administration replaced nearly all members with political appointees, turning this powerful, policy-making court into an instrument of ideology. If the BIA or the Attorney General later upholds the claim that Afghanistan is “safe,” that ruling could become binding precedent—shaping outcomes for thousands of Afghans who once risked their lives for the United States. When law is bent to serve politics, we lose both justice and our moral standing in the world. How Congress Can Fix This The solution already exists. If enacted, the Afghan Adjustment Act (H.R. 4895) would halt deportations like “H’s” and allow Afghan evacuees who aided U.S. missions to apply for lawful permanent residence. It would replace temporary parole with permanent legal status, ensuring that no ally who stood with America is forced back into danger because of political decisions or expiring paperwork. A Moral Responsibility Americans must feel moral shame for the way our Afghan allies are being treated by the U.S. government. To see these men and women imprisoned, abandoned, or deported is a deep moral stain on our nation. The measure of our character is how we treat those who once trusted us most. Please use your voice and your authority to defend these allies, restore fairness to immigration courts, and reaffirm the integrity of America’s word.