Afghans in limbo after Trump suspends US asylum policy

Thousands of Afghan refugees and migrants face an increasingly dire situation as US policies under President Donald Trump suspended refugee programmes and asylum appointments, leaving many stranded in Mexico and Pakistan without clear paths forward.

Naser Zazai, 29, had planned to reunite with his mother and brother in the United States this week after fleeing Afghanistan, where he says he was threatened and attacked because his brother had once worked for the US military.

Instead, he is now stranded in Mexico after US President Donald Trump on Monday abruptly cancelled all asylum appointments for migrants waiting in Mexico – including Zazai's, scheduled for Jan. 22.

For Zazai and the dozens of other migrants living at the Assabil shelter in Tijuana, the only such refuge in Mexico specifically for Muslim migrants, these choices are even grimmer.

"I can't stay in Mexico," said Zazai. "And I can't go back to my country where I could be killed."

Muslim migrants face additional challenges in Mexico, from language barriers to misconceptions about their religion. According to 2020 census data, there are fewer than 8,000 Muslims in Mexico.

"They have a very particular situation due to their culture and religion," said Soraya Vazquez, of the human rights group Al Otro Lado. "There is a lot of stigma against the Muslim community."

Zazai said he fled Afghanistan fearing for his life after the Taliban returned to power due to his brother's ties to the US military. He spent $22,000 to flee and waited nearly six months to secure a US asylum appointment, only to have it cancelled.

"What is my plan for the future?" he asked. "I don't know what to say."

Meanwhile, Afghan refugees in Pakistan appealed to the government to ease visa rules after Trump’s suspension of US refugee programs.

"We request Pakistan to extend our stay for at least six months after the expiry of our visas," said Ahmad Shah, a member of the Afghan USRAP Refugees advocacy group.

Afghans in Pakistan

An estimated 20,000 Afghans in Pakistan are awaiting US resettlement approvals, and over 1,600 had their travel plans cancelled this week.

"We urge the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to extend visas for Afghan people," Shah said. He also called on the UNHCR and IOM to assist Afghans waiting for relocation.

Dozens of Afghan women gathered in Islamabad to urge Trump to restore the refugee program and asked Pakistan to ease restrictions.

"We request Trump that we are in very difficult times and we have nothing to survive," said Saanga Bibi, a widow. Another woman, Bibi Habiba, asked Pakistan to reduce visa fees.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it has an agreement with Washington to relocate Afghans from Pakistan to the US by September 2025.

"The arrangements are in place. We have not received further information," ministry spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan said.