Afghan Evac: US Commitments Do Not Expire with End of Governments

The Afghan Evac organization, which supports Afghan refugees in the United States, has sent a letter to the US Departments of State, Defense, Homeland Security and the Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), stating that US commitments do not expire with the end of governments.

Afghan Evac demanded that the State Department release its review of US foreign policy toward Afghanistan and US allies there, originally due in October 2025. The group noted that the department committed to completing the report by that month, but as of February 2026, no update has been provided.

"Failures in implementing previous policies put some eligible allies at risk. A comprehensive review should identify and correct these weaknesses," the letter stated. It criticized government actions for suspending or restricting migration pathways rather than improving them, arguing that closing legal routes without distinguishing eligible allies from others undermines US credibility rather than bolstering security.

The letter was addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and USCIS Director Joseph Edlow. It warned that concurrent policy reviews and changes suggest pre-determined decisions lacking inter-agency transparency. Afghan Evac urged publication of any identified structural flaws in vetting processes for Congress and public scrutiny.

The organization highlighted that the Defense Department has not clarified its stance on Afghan allies, leaving families of US military personnel with Afghan heritage—who are eligible for relocation—in limbo. It emphasized real-world impacts on interpreters who saved American lives, female judges pursued by the Taliban, special operations partners in hiding, journalists, civil society leaders and separated families, including those of active-duty US troops.

Afghan Evac requested updates on the status and timelines for completing the policy reviews. This comes as the Trump administration, since taking office in January 2025, has gradually closed all Afghan migration and refugee pathways, which it describes as suspensions rather than cancellations. Refugee advocacy groups view these as intentional closures.