Letter to Secretaries Rubio, Hegseth, and Noem
Sent on February 8th, 2025
Dear Secretary Rubio, Secretary Hegseth, and Secretary Noem:
We write to you on behalf of more than 2,000 Americans—including veterans, active-duty service members, national security professionals, frontline civilians, and advocates—who signed our pre-inauguration day letter urging the incoming Administration to consider the potential inadvertent negative impacts of day one Executive Orders on our Afghan wartime allies.
The fears cited in that letter have now become a reality, so we are back today asking for relief in the form of exemptions that the Departments of State and Homeland Security have the power to issue.
The executive orders on foreign aid and the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) have had severe national security consequences, stranding thousands of vetted Afghan allies and putting American credibility and strategic interests at risk. We implore you to rectify this situation with an exemption for Afghan allies that is within your power to issue.
National Security and Military Readiness at Stake
For decades, the United States has relied on local partners in conflict zones to support our troops, conduct intelligence operations, and reinforce democracy and stability. By shutting down Afghan relocation efforts, the United States is ignoring well-established precedent, undermining future military operations, and putting our service members and national credibility at risk:
Loss of Trust in the U.S. Military and Government – The ability of U.S. forces to secure local support in future conflicts depends on America’s credibility. If we fail to uphold our commitments to wartime allies, why would anyone assist us in the future?
Empowering U.S. Adversaries – The Taliban, ISIS-K, and other extremist groups see this as proof that the U.S. abandons its allies. Propaganda from our adversaries already points to America’s failure to protect those who stood with us.
Immediate Threat to Active-Duty Military Families – Some of those trapped in processing pipelines awaiting resettlement in the United States are the spouses, children, and parents of active-duty U.S. service members. Their cases are now indefinitely frozen, breaking the military’s core principle: No one gets left behind.
Destabilization in Key Regions – Pakistan has announced it will begin deporting Afghan refugees in March, including many who were already in the U.S. relocation pipeline. This will force thousands of U.S.-aligned individuals back into Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, where they will be targeted for execution.
The next war will be harder to fight if U.S. service members cannot rely on local allies. The only thing stopping us from fixing this is inaction.
What the Executive Orders Have Done
The executive orders have:
Halted relocation flights for all Enduring Welcome wartime allies (SIVs and Refugees). These flights are a critical part of the process to bring vetted, approved Afghan allies to the U.S. Without them, SIVs remain stranded and in danger.
Paused the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), including for vetted Afghan allies. More than 15,000 refugees—including journalists, judges, Afghan commandos who fought with U.S. special forces, and others at extreme risk—are stuck with no way forward.
Frozen resettlement benefits for Afghans already in the U.S. Many who arrived in the last 90 days no longer have access to housing, legal services, or job placement support, taking them off the path to self-sufficiency and leaving them vulnerable to homelessness and exploitation.
Blocked private sponsorship and family reunification pathways. This affects U.S. military families trying to reunite with Afghan relatives who would otherwise qualify for relocation.
Addressing Concerns About Security and Vetting
As a nation, we insist on the need to maintain strict national security standards, which is why Afghan allies—both SIVs and refugees—undergo some of the most rigorous vetting procedures of any group entering the United States.
SIV applicants are screened multiple times over years by the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense, FBI, and the Intelligence Community.
Refugees undergo extensive background checks, biometric screening, and security interviews. Many of those waiting for travel have already been fully vetted.
The difference between an SIV and a refugee is not security risk—it’s who their employer was. Both groups served U.S. interests, but SIVs worked directly for the U.S. government, while refugees worked for U.S. aid organizations, media outlets, and the Afghan military. The family of U.S. servicemembers also come in under the refugee track.
These are not unknown individuals—they are former military interpreters, police officers, prosecutors, and women leaders who risked everything to stand with America.
The Fix – Immediate Actions to Address the Crisis
The good news is that USRAP and the Special Immigrant Visa program have absolutely nothing to do with security at our Southern border and represent the strongest, safest, and most secure legal immigration programs our country has to offer.
We recognize that your departments inherited this challenge, but there are clear and immediate steps that can be taken to restore order and uphold American commitments:
Unpause CARE Relocation for SIVs – The Department of State can restore travel for SIV recipients who have already completed all security vetting and been approved for travel. Many of these individuals are now stranded simply because of funding pauses.
Restart USRAP Pathways – The Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State should ensure that Afghan refugee pathways remain operational, particularly for active-duty military families and those at high risk.
Ensure Continuation of Resettlement Support – Afghan arrivals need housing assistance, legal services, and job placement support to succeed in the United States. Congress has already authorized this support through bipartisan action, and we must ensure that it reaches those in need without disruption.
Issue Clear Statements of Support for our Allies – Afghan allies all across the country fear that they are going to be wrapped up in the immigration enforcement actions being taken by DHS teams. Please make sure they know that they will not have to suffer due to Joe Biden’s inaction and that the Trump administration stands with them.
The Cost of Inaction
The United States made a commitment to those who risked their lives for our mission. If we fail to uphold that promise, the cost will be:
Loss of trust in the U.S. military and intelligence operations abroad
Destabilization in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and allied countries
A propaganda victory for extremist groups
U.S. military families left unable to reunite with their loved ones
We respectfully request a meeting with each of you and your teams to discuss solutions and how we can work together to resolve this issue swiftly and effectively. AfghanEvac and our coalition partners stand ready to assist.
Thank you for your time and attention to this urgent national security matter. We look forward to your response.
Urgently,
Shawn J. VanDiver
President, AfghanEvac