Washington — The U.S. State Department has not yet made a final decision on permanently shutting down the office overseeing the resettlement of Afghan evacuees, according to Shawn VanDiver, president of Afghan Evac, a coalition of U.S. veterans, refugee advocates, and military personnel working on Afghan resettlement efforts.
In a post on X, VanDiver wrote: “It doesn’t look good.”
He added that the State Department is currently reviewing proposals for the permanent closure of the office responsible for Afghan resettlement.
VanDiver had previously warned that such a decision would constitute “a betrayal of Afghan allies and American troops” and a “national disgrace” for the United States.
His remarks come amid reports that the State Department has instructed its Afghan resettlement office to begin planning for closure by April 2025. According to a Reuters report citing unnamed sources, the move could affect as many as 200,000 Afghans who are awaiting relocation to the United States.
A U.S. official and an immigration advocate told Reuters that those affected include Afghan-American military personnel and their families, children who have been approved to reunite with their parents in the U.S., and Afghans who worked alongside U.S. forces during the 20-year war.
The reported decision aligns with President Trump’s broader directive to cut government spending and review U.S. immigration and foreign policy programs. While the administration has not officially confirmed the shutdown, the prospect has raised concerns among veterans and refugee advocates who fear the consequences for Afghan allies left behind.
