The very same immigrants welcomed to the US after risking their lives to fight the Taliban now fear detention or worse
Ali was 25 and a pilot for the Afghan air force, just like his father before him; he arrived at the special mission wing 777 airbase in Kabul around 11am one day in August 2021.
The moment he stepped through the gates, he sensed something was wrong.
Kabul, in his mind, was untouchable. I didnt think it would reach Kabul, he said in an interview by phone from his apartment in Boise, Idaho, recently.
It referred to the resurgence of the Taliban. The Guardian is using a pseudonym for Alis safety and that of his family.
He said: The US had its embassy there. There were so many Americans.
But the scene at the base that morning looked nothing like the one he knew. Pilots sprinted between hangars, stuffing bags and shouting orders. Routines that once gave structure to their days had collapsed.
Ali ran toward the command center, adrenaline rising, he recalled, as he tried to understand what was unfolding.
For weeks, he had felt the political ground shifting. Our American mentors had told us to stop bombing the Taliban, he said. That was unusual. Apparently, airstrikes had ceased, so Ali was focusing on intelligence work.
On 15 August 2021, the truth finally landed. Kabul was falling. It was no longer a question of whether control of the capital of Afghanistan would change hands but how quickly.
They told me I had two choices, he recalled of his superiors. Get on a US air force C-17 evacuating civilians, or fly my plane out of the country.
Ali didnt hesitate. He had been flying alongside American forces since he was 19, convinced Afghanistan could still become a place where his younger sister could grow up free. I was fighting for democracy, and for my little sisters future, he recalled.
He thought briefly about calling his family, urging his mother and sisters to run to the airport. Then he registered the crowds flooding the runway, people climbing walls, screaming, begging and trying to cling to departing planes, scenes of chaos and desperation seen on television around the world.
I had 15 minutes to decide if I was leaving my family behind, he said. I couldnt bring them into that chaos. He climbed into a type of Pilatus PC-12, adapted for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance work and special operations C the most advanced aircraft in the Afghan fleet C and flew it toward Uzbekistan, joining more than 400 Afghan air force fighters and support staff who fled the base that day.
I wasnt going to let that plane fall into Taliban hands, he said. The aircraft, funded and built with American support, represented a staggering investment. Its worth hundreds of millions of dollars, he said. Leaving it behind would have armed the very people he had spent years fighting and risk seeing it used against the US in the future.
When asked whether he thought about his family or the fiancee he had planned to marry later that year, he paused. I covered American troops for thousands of hours from the air. I believed they would cover me once, he said. Like many Afghans who worked with US forces, he trusted that his allies would not abandon him. I always believed they would protect my family, he said, as I had protected theirs.
Ali now drives for Uber in Boise while putting himself through flight school. His family fled to a neighboring country, which he prefers not to identify publicly, after the fall of Kabul. But his fiancee remains in Afghanistan under Taliban rule.
He sends money to his family, and to his fiancee, while covering his own living expenses and US aviation training.
Im a pilot, not an Uber driver, he said. I dont want to brag, but Im good at what I do.
On 3 January 2025, Ali was granted asylum in the US. He was expecting to receive his green card next year, which would allow him to work legally as a commercial pilot and petition to bring his family to safety.
I like to do things the right way, legally and properly, he said. He hoped that once he had his green card, he could bring his fiancee to the United States and hold the engagement ceremony they had never had that August.
That future seemingly collapsed last month. On 26 November, while Ali was on shift, his phone rang. His family, calling from the country where they had taken refuge, told him an Afghan man had been apprehended in connection with the shooting of two national guard soldiers in Washington DC. Ali remembers the moment.
My first reaction was, this is bad. It shouldnt have happened, he said. Its the last thing we wanted to see, especially now.
Afghan communities across the United States quickly condemned the criminal act. The man accused of the shooting had been evacuated through Operation Allies Welcome, the same program that had brought tens of thousands of Afghans to the United States after the Taliban takeover.
Spencer Sullivan, a former US Army captain who served in Afghanistan and is one of the authors of the upcoming book Not Our Problem, which traces the journey of a US soldier and his Afghan interpreter through an increasingly hostile political climate toward refugees in the west, said he had feared what would follow the shooting in DC.
As soon as it happened, I thought: I know exactly whats going to happen, he said. This guy is going to be used as a representation of tens of millions of Afghans a perfect excuse for those [anti-immigration] people to have a national bullhorn.
Sullivan was right. Within days, to the dismay of many , the Trump administration rolled out sweeping measures: pausing pending asylum cases, halting visa issuances to Afghans, reviewing green cards held by immigrants from the Middle East and Africa and reopening the cases of approvals granted under the Biden administration to further scrutinize them.
The changes froze immigration pathways for thousands of Afghans already living in the country.
The secretary of state, Marco Rubio, also ordered the suspension of special immigrant visas, which were created for Afghans who risked their lives working alongside the US military and government. Overnight, people who believed they were protected no longer knew whether they would be allowed to stay in the US.
Earlier that year, the administration had sharply curtailed refugee admissions while advancing an exemption for white South African applicants. It expanded a travel ban affecting several Muslim-majority countries.
Jennifer Patota, deputy director of US legal services at the International Refugee Assistance Project, based in New York, said the tragedy supercharged an agenda already in motion. Policies that punish an entire nationality because of one persons actions are unjust and counterproductive, she said.
Green card processing has been frozen, she said, and Afghans are being detained during routine immigration appointments.
People are afraid theyll be stopped by ICE , she said, referring to the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. Weve seen Afghans called in and detained out of the blue.
She views these moves not as isolated decisions, but as part of a broader strategy to narrow who gets to belong. Were watching an administration strip status from non-white, non-European immigrants, she said. Its a signal about who is considered worthy of refuge in America.
Alis worst fear has arrived. As rhetoric hardens and enforcement intensifies, he is convinced the country he once defended will now treat him as a threat. Theyre going to see everybody the same, he said , of Afghans in the US. They dont know me, so they will see everybody in the same picture, and thats bad.
Shawn VanDiver, a navy veteran and founder of AfghanEvac, a non-profit organization that helps Afghan refugees, said Afghan families are terrified.
The fear is real, he said. People are afraid to go to the store, to the park, to the mosque. ICE is showing up at those places. They fled the Taliban because the Taliban disappeared people off the street. Thats not supposed to happen in America.
VanDiver rejects suggestions that both US political parties bear equal blame. He argues that Democrats failed to move quickly enough to pass legislation that would have provided a permanent visa pathway for Afghan parolees after the 2021 evacuation. They were cautious, he said, adding that they were worried about political backlash from Republicans and segments of the public over granting protections to Afghans, and it cost them.
But, he added: What Republicans are doing now is something else entirely. This isnt normal immigration policy. Its fear, prejudice and political opportunism.
On 9 December, a coalition of more than 130 organizations led by Refugee Council USA urged the Trump administration to reverse the policies that have halted or restricted refugee, asylum and visa processing.
John Slocum, who leads the coalition, warned that the consequences stretch beyond Afghan families in the US. The United States is breaking the promise it made to wartime allies who risked their lives for the American mission, he said. Those decisions dont just abandon Afghans. They tell the world the US government is no longer a reliable partner.
Ali tries not to think about what might happen next, the worst-case scenario that he could be deported back to Afghanistan, which the US government claims is becoming safer, but where he fears his life would be in danger.
Its really hard, he said. I have to remind myself its all going to work out. He fears hes running out of time, something he cannot control. Ive always been the one who gets things done. I passed the FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] flight exam in one shot. I was a pilot at 19. But I cant change the Trump administrations policy toward my family. Then his voice tightened, and he said: If it were up to Trump, he would deport everyone who looks like me. He doesnt care about the US constitution.
He worries most about his 13-year-old sister. Her favorite thing right now is riding her bike, it fills her with joy, he said. He worries that when she turns 16, that freedom, like many others, would be taken away in Afghanistan. That makes me extremely sad, he said.
When asked how he feels now about his service alongside American forces, he went quiet.
America scammed me, he said. I gave years of my life. I flew over American troops, giving them protection and providing intelligence on the Taliban. And today, I feel scammed. He also drew a distinction he refuses to let go of.
Americans are some of the most loving people, he said. I believe in God, and everyone will have to answer to Him someday. The good Americans who helped refugees, who fought for our freedom and our rights C theyll be rewarded.
He paused, then added: But I still have to live with what was promised, and what was taken.
这些曾冒着生命危险与塔利班作战、随后受到美国接纳的移民，如今却面临拘留甚至更糟境遇的威胁。
25岁的阿里是阿富汗空军的一名飞行员，子承父业；2021年8月某日上午11点左右，他抵达了喀布尔的777特种任务空军基地。
他刚跨过大门，就察觉到有些不对劲。
在他看来，喀布尔本是坚不可摧的。"我原以为战火不会波及喀布尔，"最近他在爱达荷州博伊市的公寓里接受电话采访时这样说道。
文中提到的"它"是指塔利班势力的卷土重来。出于对阿里及其家人安全的考虑，《卫报》使用了化名进行报道。
他表示："美国曾在那里设有大使馆，当时有许多美国人在场。"
但那日清晨基地的景象与他记忆中的截然不同。飞行员们在机库间飞奔，一边塞满行囊一边高声下达指令。曾经维系日常秩序的例行程序已彻底瓦解。
阿里回忆道，他肾上腺素飙升，一边奔向指挥中心，一边试图理解正在发生的一切。
数周以来，他已察觉到政治风向的转变。"我们的美国顾问要求我们停止轰炸塔利班，"他说道，"这很不寻常。"显然，空袭已经停止，因此阿里转而专注于情报工作。
2021年8月15日，真相终于揭晓。喀布尔正在陷落。阿富汗首都的控制权易主已无悬念，唯一的问题只是速度有多快。
他回忆上级当时的话说：“他们告诉我只有两个选择：要么搭乘美军C-17运输机撤离平民，要么驾驶自己的飞机离开这个国家。”
阿里毫不犹豫。自19岁起，他便与美国军队并肩作战，坚信阿富汗仍能成为一个让妹妹自由成长的地方。"我曾为民主而战，也为我妹妹的未来而战，"他回忆道。
他一度想打电话给家人，催促母亲和姐妹们赶往机场。但随即目睹了跑道上汹涌的人潮——人们翻越围墙、尖叫哀求、拼命攀附即将起飞的飞机，这些混乱绝望的画面通过电视传遍了全球。
“我只有15分钟来决定是否抛下家人，”他说，“我不能让他们卷入这场混乱。”他登上一架经过改装、用于情报监视侦察任务和特种作战的皮拉图斯PC-12型飞机——这是阿富汗机队中最先进的机型，随后驾机飞往乌兹别克斯坦。当天，共有400多名阿富汗空军战斗人员及后勤人员从该基地撤离，他也加入了他们的行列。
“我绝不会让那架飞机落入塔利班手中，”他说道。这架飞机由美国资助并支持建造，代表着巨额投资。“它的价值高达数亿美元，”他表示。若将其遗弃，无异于武装那些他曾与之交战多年的敌人，并可能在未来被用来对抗美国。
当被问及是否想过自己的家人或计划在那年晚些时候迎娶的未婚妻时，他停顿了一下。“我曾从空中为美军提供了数千小时的掩护。我相信他们也会保护我一次，”他说道。和许多曾与美军共事的阿富汗人一样，他深信盟友不会抛弃自己。“我一直相信他们会保护我的家人，”他说，“就像我曾保护他们的家人一样。”
阿里目前在博伊西为优步开车谋生，同时自费就读飞行学校。喀布尔陷落后，他的家人逃往一个邻国（他不愿公开具体名称），而他的未婚妻仍留在塔利班统治下的阿富汗。
他在负担自己生活开支和美国飞行培训费用的同时，还定期给家人和未婚妻汇款。
“我是飞行员，不是网约车司机，”他说道，“并非自夸，但我的专业能力确实出色。”
2025年1月3日，阿里获得美国政治庇护。他预计明年将取得绿卡，届时可合法担任商业飞行员工作，并申请让家人赴美团聚。
“我喜欢以正确的方式做事，合法且妥当。”他说道。他希望一旦获得绿卡，就能将未婚妻接到美国，补办他们去年八月未能举行的订婚仪式。
上个月，这个看似光明的未来突然破灭。11月26日，阿里正在值班时，电话突然响起。他的家人从避难的国家打来电话，告诉他一名阿富汗男子因涉嫌在华盛顿特区枪杀两名国民警卫队士兵而被捕。阿里至今仍清晰记得那一刻。
“我的第一反应是，这太糟糕了。这种事本不该发生，”他表示，“这是我们最不愿看到的情况，尤其是在当下。”
全美各地的阿富汗社区迅速谴责这一"犯罪行为"。被指控参与枪击的男子是通过"盟友欢迎行动"撤离到美国的，该计划在塔利班接管阿富汗后已将数万名阿富汗人带到美国。
曾在阿富汗服役的美国陆军前上尉斯宾塞·沙利文表示，他担忧华盛顿枪击事件可能引发的后续影响。沙利文是即将出版的新书《非我之责》的作者之一，该书讲述了一名美军士兵与其阿富汗口译员在西方对难民日益敌对的政治环境中艰难求生的经历。
他说道："事情刚发生，我就想：'我很清楚接下来会发生什么。这家伙会被当作数千万阿富汗人的代表——成为那些（反移民）人士手握全国性扩音器的完美借口。'"
沙利文的预测应验了。短短数日内，特朗普政府便出台了一系列大刀阔斧的措施，令许多人感到沮丧：暂停审理待决的庇护申请、停止向阿富汗人发放签证、重新审核中东及非洲移民持有的绿卡，并重启拜登政府时期批准的案例进行进一步审查。
政策变动导致数千名已在该国生活的阿富汗人的移民途径被冻结。
美国国务卿马尔科·卢比奥还下令暂停特殊移民签证的发放。这类签证专为那些曾冒着生命危险与美军及政府合作的阿富汗人设立。一夜之间，那些原本以为自己受到保护的人们，突然不确定是否还能继续留在美国。
当年早些时候，美国政府大幅削减了难民接收数量，同时却为南非白人申请者推进豁免政策。此外，还扩大了对多个穆斯林占多数国家的旅行禁令范围。
国际难民援助计划组织（总部位于纽约）的美国法律服务副主任詹妮弗·帕托塔表示，这场悲剧给已在推进的议程“加了把火”。她指出：“因一人行为而惩罚整个民族的政策既不公正，也会适得其反。”
她表示，绿卡办理流程已被冻结，阿富汗公民在常规移民预约期间遭到拘留。
“人们害怕会被移民海关执法局（ICE）拦截，”她提到这个联邦移民与海关执法机构时说道，“我们曾目睹阿富汗人突然被传唤并拘留。”
她认为这些举措并非孤立决定，而是一项旨在缩小归属范围的更广泛战略的一部分。"我们正目睹本届政府剥夺非白人、非欧洲移民的身份地位，"她说道，"这传递出谁才有资格在美国获得庇护的信号。"
阿里最担心的事情还是发生了。随着言辞日趋强硬、执法力度不断加大，他确信这个自己曾经捍卫的国家如今将他视为威胁。谈及在美阿富汗人时，他表示：“他们会一视同仁地看待所有人。他们不了解我，所以会把所有人都归为同类，这很糟糕。”
肖恩·范迪弗（Shawn VanDiver）是一名海军退伍军人，也是帮助阿富汗难民的非营利组织AfghanEvac的创始人。他表示，阿富汗家庭目前处于极度恐惧之中。
“这种恐惧真实存在，”他说。“人们不敢去商店、公园和清真寺，因为移民及海关执法局（ICE）会出现在这些地方。他们当初逃离塔利班，就是因为塔利班会让人在街头凭空消失。这种事不该在美国发生。”
范迪弗（VanDiver）驳斥了关于美国两党应承担同等责任的说法。他指出，民主党未能在2021年撤离行动后及时推动立法，为阿富汗临时入境者提供永久签证途径。"他们过于谨慎，"他表示，并补充说民主党担心共和党及部分公众会因向阿富汗人提供保护而发起政治反击，"这让他们付出了代价。"
但他补充道："共和党人现在的所作所为完全是另一回事。这不是正常的移民政策，而是恐惧、偏见和政治投机。"
12月9日，由美国难民理事会（Refugee Council USA）牵头、130多家组织组成的联盟敦促特朗普政府撤销那些导致难民安置、庇护申请及签证办理停滞或受限的政策。
联盟负责人约翰·斯洛克姆警告称，其影响将波及在美阿富汗家庭以外的范围。他表示：“美国正在违背对战时盟友的承诺，这些盟友曾为美国的使命冒生命危险。这些决定不仅抛弃了阿富汗人，更向世界宣告美国政府已不再是可靠的合作伙伴。”
阿里尽量不去想接下来可能发生的事——最坏的情况是他可能被遣返回阿富汗。尽管美国政府声称阿富汗正变得越来越安全，但他仍担心自己的生命会受到威胁。
“这真的很难，”他说，“我必须提醒自己一切都会好起来的。”他担心时间所剩无几，而这并非他所能掌控。“我一直是个说到做到的人。我一次性通过了美国联邦航空管理局（FAA）的飞行考试，19岁就成为飞行员。但我无法改变特朗普政府对我家人的政策。”随后他的声音变得紧绷：“如果由特朗普决定，他会驱逐所有像我这样的人。他根本不在乎美国宪法。”
他最担心的是他13岁的妹妹。"她现在最喜欢的就是骑自行车，这让她充满快乐，"他说。他担心当她16岁时，这种自由，像许多其他自由一样，会在阿富汗被剥夺。"这让我感到非常难过，"他说道。
当被问及如今对曾与美军并肩作战的感受时，他陷入了沉默。
“美国欺骗了我，”他说道，“我奉献了多年光阴，曾驾驶飞机为美军提供空中掩护，并向他们传递有关塔利班的情报。可如今，我只觉得自己上当受骗。”他还坚持着一个始终不愿放弃的区分原则。
他说：“美国人民是最富有爱心的人群之一。我信仰上帝，相信终有一日所有人都要接受祂的审判。那些曾为难民提供帮助、为我们的自由和权利而奋斗的善良美国人——他们终将得到回报。”
他停顿了一下，接着说道：“但我仍要面对那些曾经的承诺，以及被夺走的一切。”
