SIV Exemption Revoked; Afghans Included in Trump Travel Ban

DID Press: The advocacy group AfghanEvac announced that the administration of US President Donald Trump has revoked the exemption that previously allowed Afghan holders of Special Immigrant Visas (SIV) to enter the United States, effectively placing them under the scope of the travel ban.

In a statement, AfghanEvac said the U.S. government has removed the SIV exemption for Afghans, barring visa holders and their families from entering the country. The group’s president, Shawn VanDiver, said Washington used a security-related incident to justify tightening restrictive policies against Afghan refugees.

According to the organization, Afghanistan has now been placed on the list of countries whose nationals are barred from receiving U.S. visas or immigrating for security and migration-related reasons. While Afghan former U.S. allies had previously been exempt from these restrictions, AfghanEvac said that exemption was revoked as the travel ban was expanded.

VanDiver stressed that SIV applicants undergo some of the most rigorous security vetting processes and warned that removing their exemption carries immediate humanitarian consequences, including family separation and prolonged uncertainty for thousands of applicants. He added that the decision severely undermines trust among local partners who supported U.S. forces.

AfghanEvac also warned that the policy contradicts core principles of the U.S. immigration system, particularly family reunification, and called for an immediate review and reversal of the decision.