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Outrage and confusion as thousands of refugees became stranded after Trump canceled flights

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President Trump signs executive orders on January 20. One of the orders he signed on day one suspended the U.S. refugee program. It was supposed to come into effect on January 27, but the State Department sent a memo five days earlier saying the program had already been suspended and flights were being cancelled. The move left thousands of people around the world, including U.S. allies in Afghanistan, in limbo

Outrage is building after Donald Trump signed an executive order suspending refugee arrivals, which could impact US partners who risked their lives in Afghanistan.

This week, Trump signed the order suspending the Refugee Admission Program, effectively stranding refugees who had booked flights to the US

Trump said that because the country is “awash with record levels of migration,” the order is necessary to manage “the burden” of increased migrant arrivals.

According to the order, the U.S. “lacks the ability to absorb large numbers of migrants” in a manner that does not jeopardize resources for Americans and that “protects their safety and security, and that ensures the proper assimilation of refugees.” .

The move immediately halted all refugee processing, leaving tens of thousands of Afghan refugees who have already been vetted with an uncertain future, including those still in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Qatar.

DailyMail.com has obtained a memo sent by the State Department to US partners stating that the suspension of flights is taking place immediately, five days earlier than set out in the executive order.

Confusion immediately arose among the U.S. partners targeted by the memo.

Lawmakers also complained to DailyMail.com that they do not have many details and worry it could impact Afghan allies.

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) was among those who raised concerns and indicated that this would be discussed with the Trump administration.

“If you are involved in helping us, I want you to be freed from the Taliban,” Graham said.

When asked about concerns that Afghan refugees are in limbo, Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), who has worked on legislation supporting Afghans helping the U.S., said he would call, but DailyMail.com was the first to bring the issue to his attention.

President Trump signs executive orders on January 20. One of the orders he signed on day one suspended the U.S. refugee program. It was supposed to come into effect on January 27, but the State Department sent a memo five days earlier saying the program had already been suspended and flights were being cancelled. The move left thousands of people around the world, including U.S. allies in Afghanistan, in limbo

An image of Afghans being evacuated and flown from Kabul to Qatar on August 15, 2021 (FILE)

An image of Afghans being evacuated and flown from Kabul to Qatar on August 15, 2021 (FILE)

‘AAfghanistan that the US supported and saved the lives of American troops is still in danger in Afghanistan,” Congressman Jason Crow (D-CO) wrote on X.

“We must keep our promise to keep them and their families safe. Keeping our word is important. We will not have partners unless our word means something,” he posted on Wednesday.

Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) responded to a report that flights were canceled for 1,600 Afghans on Tuesday.

He said he was “incredibly disheartened” that the Trump administration was canceling flights for those who were allies of U.S. forces in Afghanistan and were at high risk.

“Our nation has made a sacred commitment to do right by the men and women who risk their lives for our freedoms and democracy, and to do right by their families,” he said.

The State Department memo states that “all previously scheduled refugee travel to the United States is canceled and no new travel bookings will be made.”

“In addition, all refugee case processing and activities are suspended prior to departure,” the report continues.

They were also instructed not to move refugees to transit centers while awaiting their journey.

The memo indicated that Special Immigration Visa (SIV) holders would not be affected, but other US partners were still waiting for guidance on this.

It remains unclear how many refugees will be affected by the move, but all refugee bookings will be canceled regardless of nationality.

An acquaintance told DailyMail.com that there have been flight cancellations for refugees arriving through the US Refugee Admissions Program, including flights for Afghans, Ethiopians, Congolese, Egyptians and others.

This move will affect at least 40,000 confirmed Afghan refugees, including 25,000 who have already been vetted and are (almost) ready to travel.

“There are people who have travel documents at hand who cannot travel now,” says Shawn VanDiver of the organization AfghanEvac.

An image of a child being assisted during the evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan on August 20, 2021 (FILE)

An image of a child being assisted during the evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan on August 20, 2021 (FILE)

Among those affected by the pause are at least 200 families of soldiers who have been waiting to be reunited with Afghan allies.

The pause puts thousands of people who stood up for America, AfghanEvac warned, at risk.

They include Afghan partner forces and female pilots who trained alongside U.S. forces; prosecutors, judges and human rights defenders and the families of US service members and interpreters.

‘In many cases these are family. These are relatives of American soldiers. These are our partner troops who fought, trained, fought and bled alongside our service members,” VanDiver said.

“These are lawyers, judges and prosecutors that the Taliban have put in prison, so they are now in danger,” he said.

VanDiver noted that many of the affected Afghans have already been in limbo since the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021.

He pointed out that some families still desperate to be reunited are parents whose children and babies were handed over at the gate more than three years ago and have been living with relatives or foster families since then.

Before the Trump administration came in, advocates sent transition officials a letter urging them to consider America’s Afghan partners as they set their sights on immigration measures, but for now this appears to be falling on deaf ears.

However, the order and resulting chaos are not only affecting refugees from Afghanistan, but thousands around the world.

DailyMail.com has contacted the Foreign Office for comment.

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