News & Resources
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 16, 2025
MEDIA CONTACT
Henrike Dessaules | media@refugeerights.org
AFGHAN ALLIES CHALLENGE UNLAWFUL POLICY BLOCKING THEM FROM SIV PROGRAM
Afghans Who Worked Under Contract with the U.S. Government Are Stuck in Danger
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, three Afghan nationals who provided critical security services to the United States military filed a federal lawsuit after they were denied the chance to apply for a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV). The plaintiffs, who are all former employees of the Afghan National Public Protection Force (NPPF), are represented by the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP).
“The SIV program was created by Congress to protect Afghan allies from harm, but the State Department has devised an unlawful requirement to deny that chance to at least dozens of Afghans whose lives are at risk as a result of their service,” said IRAP Senior Staff Attorney Mevlüde Akay Alp. “Without the ability to access this vital lifeline, these plaintiffs and their families are stuck in hiding from the Taliban in Afghanistan with no viable pathway to safety.”
The government appears to be issuing mass denials of applications for Chief of Mission (COM) approval—the first step of the SIV process—to NPPF employees because it was an Afghan state-owned entity, despite it being a U.S. military subcontractor. This violates the law as created by Congress and forces Afghan allies to remain in danger.
“I was employed by the National Public Protection Force and was contracted to work as a security guard for the U.S. military at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan,” said plaintiff Jawad Doe. “If anyone checks my records, they will find out that I worked for NPPF and the U.S. government, and the Taliban will find me and kill me. Because of this I cannot work to support my family. Life is very difficult now.”
All three plaintiffs are currently in hiding in Afghanistan, unable to work or live freely:
“Once the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021, it became even more dangerous for me and my family to remain in Afghanistan,” said plaintiff Yasini Doe. “I knew that my work in the security sector for the U.S. government would make me a target, and I take precautions to avoid any interactions with the Taliban. My family and I change locations frequently. Usually we move between locations twice a month, but sometimes as often as once a week. I am afraid that if I go somewhere and I have to show my ID to a government officer, the government will know that I worked with the U.S. government and will kill me.”
The plaintiffs have also experienced direct threats against their lives:
“I myself have been targeted because of my work with the U.S. government,” said plaintiff Reza Doe. “In 2021, before the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan and the Taliban took over, I was stopped late at night by an armed, masked man while I was going home to visit my family. He threatened me and accused me of working for the Americans and I was terrified he would kill me. He only let me go after stealing my money.”
Additional Resources
- Read the complaint: HERE
- Read IRAP’s explainer about the abandonment of Afghan allies: HERE
- Learn more about IRAP’s work supporting Afghan allies: HERE
The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) is a global legal aid and advocacy organization working to create a world where refugees and all people seeking safety are empowered to claim their right to freedom of movement and a path to lasting refuge. Everyone should have a safe place to live and a safe way to get there.
###