Stranded in Qatar: Afghan Refugees Await Progression, Unable to Advance or Retreat

Rebuilding Lives in Limbo: Stranded Afghans in Qatar Afflicted by Uncertainty

In the twilight of January 2025, Negina Khalili and her family left their home in Afghanistan, hoping for a safer future in America. Their journey led them to a U.S. base in Qatar, preparing for the final step in their migration. Little did they know, just days later, the Trump administration would take office, suspending the refugee program that could have granted them entry.

Khalili and her family now find themselves in a small, yet growing group of Afghans waiting at a camp in Qatar, their aspirations for a new life on hold. "If they send us back to Afghanistan," Khalili said with concern, "that will be a huge risk for my family."

The refugee program suspension has left countless individuals worldwide in a state of uncertainty, including those who had hoped to find sanctuary in the United States through decades-long initiatives designed for those fleeing war, persecution, and turmoil.

As the Qatari desert becomes a barricade

For a community of Afghans situated in the barren Qatari landscape, the Trump administration's stark policy change has been particularly disheartening. Many had previously journeyed to this unfamiliar terrain, only to find themselves trapped with little clarity about their future.

According to Shawn VanDiver, head of #AfghanEvac, an advocacy group aiding Afghans who supported U.S. efforts during the two-decade-long Afghanistan war, approximately 1,200 Afghan refugees reside at the U.S. base in Qatar. This figure is confirmed by an anonymous State Department official.

"We brought them here," VanDiver said. "It's on us to figure out what to do with them next. The only right answer is to follow through on what was promised."

When the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in August 2021, a tumultuous evacuation unfolded. Desperate Afghans flocked to Kabul's airport, seeking escape. Tens of thousands of Afghan supporters of U.S. efforts were eventually airlifted out. In the following years, as the issue lost prominence in the public eye, the Biden administration continued to assist in the relocation of tens of thousands of Afghans – right up until Biden's departure from office.

Amidst a labyrinth of hope and despair

There are two primary channels through which Afghans can emigrate to the United States. One avenue involves military translators who directly worked for the U.S. government and are eligible for the special immigrant visa. In the case of those who don't qualify for this program but offered assistance to U.S. efforts, they may be referred to refugee programs.

These individuals typically move through a network of "lilypads" established under the Biden administration in various countries. Upon passing critical stages in a lengthy process, they travel to these "lilypads" to complete their processing and then eventually journey to the United States. In Qatar, they are housed in a former U.S. military base now managed by the State Department. They are barred from leaving the base without the escort of a U.S. official.

Broken promises and uncertain futures

Since Trump's return to office, Afghans may still obtain entry through the special immigrant visa process, albeit at their own expense or with the help of others. However, Afghan refugees have been effectively shut out since the refugee program suspension. In Qatar, this has resulted in an uneasy stalemate, as the future of these individuals remains uncertain. Similar anxieties have taken root in Pakistan, where the Pakistani government is pressureing Afghan refugees to return home.

One Afghan woman, Saliha, found herself marooned in Qatar. She is a lawyer and part of a generation of empowered women who benefitted from the U.S. invasion in Afghanistan, gaining access to education and employment opportunities. Saliha opened her own law firm and aided abused women in obtaining divorces. After the Taliban regained control, she and her family went into hiding, subsequently being referred to the refugee program two years ago. In those days, the Taliban had been aggressively trying to locate Saliha and her family, accusing her of having helped women divorce their abusive husbands.

Saliha enters the Qatar camp with a glimmer of hope. However, the refugee program suspension has left her anxious and uncertain. "We have worked hard and sacrificed much," she said. "Our only crime is defending women who were abused and raped."

An uncertain future for a beleaguered program

It is unclear if the Trump administration will reinstate the refugee program, currently suspended indefinitely. A report examining the potential resumption of the program is still pending, yet to be made public.

Advocates argue that Afghan refugees undergo extensive vetting prior to entry into the United States and have aided U.S. efforts in Afghanistan. Within the group of 1,200 Afghan refugees in Qatar, 200 have ties to U.S. service members' families, according to VanDiver.

Organizations aiding in refugee resettlement have taken legal action to reboot the refugee program. A federal appeals court determined that the government maintains authority to suspend the program but should allow a small subset of already-approved refugees to enter. The government, however, claims this subset amounts to merely around 160 individuals worldwide.

A federal judge has since ordered the admittance of approximately 12,000 refugees, though it is unclear how many Afghans are included and how swiftly the government will comply with this demand. In a statement, the State Department stated that they are actively considering the future of the Afghan relocation program and the office dedicated to coordinating Afghan relocation efforts. They emphasized that no final decisions have been made and remain committed to providing support to Afghan allies and partners overseas.

Until a resolution emerges, Afghans attempting to immigrate to the United States and their awaiting families are left hanging in the balance.

"I'm constantly thinking about my family in Afghanistan," Khalili lamented. "They are facing a great deal of depression and don't know what the future holds."

Despite finding refuge in Qatar, the Trump administration's suspension of the refugee program has left Negina Khalili and her family, as well as 1,200 other Afghans at the U.S. base in Qatar, uncertain about their future and in danger if they are sent back to Afghanistan.
The Qatari desert, once a destination for these refugees, has now become a barricade, separating them from their aspirations for a new life and the safety they had hoped to find in America.
Supporters of U.S. efforts in Afghanistan, such as Saliha, a lawyer who aided abused women in obtaining divorces, are now stuck in limbo, their future uncertain, after the Taliban regained control and forced them to flee.
In a major advocacy effort, organizations are working to reboot the refugee program, with a federal judge ordering the admittance of approximately 12,000 refugees, though it remains unclear how many are Afghans and how swiftly the government will comply with this demand.
As the Biden administration continues to assist in the relocation of tens of thousands of Afghans, the future of the Afghan refugee program and the thousands of lives it touches remains uncertain, cast into the complex maze of politics, general news, and war-and-conflicts-related issues.