An Afghan woman, who worked for over 14 years with ISAF’s Regional Command East and Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRT) in Afghanistan, recently reached out to Kauser News Agency, sharing her harrowing ordeal. For security reasons, the woman’s name will not be published.
According to sources, this former civil society activist ran a successful non-profit organization in Afghanistan. She relocated to the United States through the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program following the fall of Kabul. A few months later, her daughter also arrived in the U.S, tragedy struck when the Taliban invaded her home in Kabul, arresting her two sons. At the time, she was seriously ill and had undergone surgery in Pennsylvania.
Despite the dangerous circumstances, her daughter advised her to return to Afghanistan, claiming that she could later come back to the U.S. once her sons were released. Shockingly, her daughter allegedly referred to her mother as mentally unstable, further pressuring her to return to Kabul.
“I returned to Kabul, sold my house, and tried to see if my organization was still active,” the activist said. “But the Taliban had taken control of it. They even sent me threats, warning that if I tried to revive my organization, they would kill me.”
Upon attempting to return to the United States, she was informed by a travel agency that her TPS status did not allow her to re-enter the country. This left her stranded and desperate.
Kauser News Agency tried to contact her daughter, currently residing in Pennsylvania, to inquire about her mother’s legal documents and residency card. The response was cold and confrontational. The daughter, referred to as S.J., reportedly threatened the journalist, denying any knowledge of her mother’s situation or legal standing in the U.S. “Who are you? I don’t have her documents. Don’t lie to me,”
S.J. allegedly responded before issuing threats over the phone.
Efforts to reach out to CWS Global, the resettlement agency handling her case, have yielded no response. This case highlights a growing trend where Afghan TPS holders find themselves entangled in legal confusion, poor advice, and vulnerable to external pressures. From 2021 to the present, over 1,000 Afghan TPS holders have reportedly fallen victim to misguided advice, with many ending up back in Afghanistan, at the mercy of the Taliban.
Further details about this tragic case and comments from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and CWS Global are expected to be published soon. This story is one of many that highlight the vulnerability of Afghan refugees and the pressing need for better legal guidance and support within the U.S. resettlement system.
