KABUL — U.S. President Donald Trump has pledged renewed support for Afghan allies seeking asylum and citizenship in the United States, despite recent government decisions curbing relocation and protection programs.
Speaking at a public event on Wednesday, Trump said his administration would assist “about 90%” of Afghans who worked alongside American forces during the two-decade war.
“We’re going to take care of those people, the ones that did a job [for us], the ones that were told certain things,” he said. However, he added, “We know the good ones, and we know the ones that maybe aren’t so good,” suggesting tighter vetting would be part of any process.
The comments come as several federal programs aiding Afghan immigrants have been terminated under the current administration. These include the closure of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts office and the end of Operation Enduring Welcome, which supported Afghans at risk due to their collaboration with U.S. forces.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has also revoked Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghan nationals, declaring conditions in Afghanistan to be “improved”—a move that permits the deportation of around 9,000 Afghans previously shielded under the program.
Rights advocates warn that returning them could result in persecution or death.
During a congressional hearing on July 23, Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker maintained that Washington remains committed to its Afghan partners. But lawmakers expressed doubt.
“Tens of thousands of Afghans who worked with our forces… were promised a pathway [to citizenship] and fully vetted, but are now stranded and waiting,” said Representative Julie Johnson of Texas.
Trump also reiterated his condemnation of the 2021 U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan, calling it “one of the most disgraceful episodes in the history of our country.”
Thousands of Afghan allies remain in legal and logistical limbo in Afghanistan and neighboring countries particularly Pakistan, with no clear roadmap for resettlement or protection, despite repeated assurances by both past and present U.S. administrations.
