Multiple veterans groups sent a letter to President Donald Trump on Thursday, urging him to reconsider a recent executive order regarding immigration and refugee programs, citing concerns about the safety of Afghan interpreters and their families who helped the U.S. military.
The executive order, the Realigning the United States Refugee Program, will go into effect on Monday and suspend the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).
Trump’s order immediately pauses all processing and movements for USRAP refugees, who are referred due to threats from their association with the U.S. – such as family members of service members, and Afghan partner forces.
Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs), people who directly worked for or supported the U.S. government – which includes interpreters and contractors, do not appear to be directly impacted.
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President Donald Trump signs a series of executive orders at the White House on January 20, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Jabin Botsford /The Washington Post via Getty Images)
They could, however, be indirectly affected by implementation decisions or additional orders, according to #AfghanEvac, a non-profit that helps facilitate relocation and resettlement of Afghan U.S. allies.
The veterans groups wanted to highlight “unintended consequences” of the order, claiming it could adversely affect the mental health of countless veterans.
The letter, obtained by Fox News, discussed the bonds many service members and veterans formed with Afghan partners who supported the global war on terror, often at great personal risk to themselves and their families.
“The current suspension of certain pathways for these allies may unintentionally penalize individuals who could be eligible for Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) but do not currently hold them — not because they do not meet the qualifications, but because of the chaotic and disorganized nature of the withdrawal from Afghanistan under the previous administration,” the letter read.
Taliban holds a military parade with equipment captured from U.S. army in Kandahar, Afghanistan on November 8, 2021. (Murteza Khaliqi/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
The groups said they “fully support” Trump’s goal of prioritizing American security, but believe there is a clear opportunity to address the issue without harm to Afghan partners.
The executive order argues that the entry of additional refugees would be “detrimental to the interests of the United States,” but notes the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security can jointly make exceptions and admit refugees on a case-by-case basis when in the national interest, and there is no threat to America’s security or welfare.
Noting concerns about Afghan partners being deported “erroneously,” the groups said the partners’ immediate family members, who face serious threats from the Taliban may lose their hopes of safe passage.
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They asked the president to consider SIV-eligible allies and their families, to prevent them from being “inadvertently cast aside due to lapses that occurred under the botched withdrawal,” according to the letter.
“This approach would protect those who have risked their lives for our country while reinforcing your administration’s clear commitment to national security,” they wrote.
USRAP has no impact on illegal immigration, according to #AfghanEvac. Refugees must be vetted before entering the U.S., and crossing the border without authorization voids their eligibility.
Chad Robichaux, a U.S. Marine Corps force recon veteran and Department of Defense contractor, told Fox News he spent years of his life protecting American lives domestically and internationally, but the sacrifice was not made solely by U.S. service members.
Taliban fighters patrol on the road during a celebration marking the second anniversary of the withdrawal of U.S.-led troops from Afghanistan, in Kandahar, south of Kabul, Afghanistan, on Tuesday, Aug. 15. (AP/Abdul Khaliq)
“Afghan interpreters risked their lives for two decades alongside us to defeat the evils of the Taliban,” Robichaux said. “When Afghanistan fell, I personally went to rescue my interpreter Aziz from the clutches of that very evil, delivering him to American soil. President Trump is honorably taking strong steps to keep this hallowed soil safe. But in doing so, [it] places these same Afghans in jeopardy. These Afghan Allies have demonstrated more patriotic courage than some of our own citizens, and I am asking for their due protection in the midst of these sweeping security measures.”
The suspension effectively leaves thousands of Afghan allies stranded in limbo, according to #AfghanEvac. The organization claims at least 10 to 15,000 individuals are fully vetted and awaiting flights in Afghanistan, Pakistan and other countries.
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Fighters targeting the Taliban. (Source: National Resistance Front)
Groups that signed the letter included: Save Our Allies; Sheepdog Response; The Verardo Group; The Independence Fund; Diesel Jack Media; Special Operations Association of America; and Mighty Oaks Foundation.
Tim Kennedy – a Green Beret, former UFC fighter, founder of Sheepdog Response, and president of Save Our Allies – told Fox News it is the nation’s duty to protect its allies.
“I’ve served with the most patriotic heroes our nation has to offer. I’ve watched them brilliantly and valiantly sacrifice life and limb to protect the United States,” Kennedy said. “Among those patriots are the Afghan men who risked threat and brutality from the Taliban to defend the freedom and American ideals we hold dear.”
Tim Kennedy during weigh-ins for UFC 206 at Air Canada Centre. (Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports)
There are still 150,000 to 250,000 Afghans seeking settlement, according to #AfghanEvac. An estimated 40,000 to 60,000 are refugees under USRAP.
“The Biden administration is responsible for our blood-soaked exit from Afghanistan,” Kennedy said. “The Allies we served beside didn’t receive the promise we offered them. I applaud the necessary and exemplary efforts President Trump is making to secure our country from foreign threats, but it is our duty to protect and preserve the sanctity of our promise to those Afghan allies. In many cases, we owe them our lives, and we must let this be their home.”
Since the end of the war in 2021, some 180,000 Afghans have resettled in the U.S., Fox News Digital reported.
Many of those who are still waiting for refugee approval are hiding out in Pakistan, fearful of deportation back to Afghanistan.
President Joe Biden speaks in the Rose Garden at the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Daniel Elkins, CEO of Special Operations Association of America, said he is “certain there would be more Americans in Arlington cemetery if it weren’t for Afghans who risked their lives to help us, and now is the time for us to help them.”
Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Fox News he looks forward to continuing to work with Save Our Allies as they advocate for all Afghan allies former President Joe Biden “abandoned.”
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“Unlike President Biden who consistently dismissed pleas from veterans and service members to help their Afghan allies, President Trump cares about America’s veterans and service members and will listen to them,” McCaul said.
The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment Thursday night.
Fox News Digital’s Morgan Phillips contributed to this story.