Twin Cities Afghan community worries as refugee program pauses

(FOX 9) - President Trump signed an executive order on Inauguration Day to pause the refugee program indefinitely, effectively barring any new arrivals of those escaping persecution and conflict in their native countries.

Government cancels flights for Afghan refugees; some were Minnesota-bound

The backstory:

More than 1,600 Afghan refugees planned to arrive in the United States before Monday’s deadline, but the government abruptly canceled their flights on Tuesday. The refugees, who helped U.S. troops in Afghanistan before the chaotic withdrawal in August 2021, are now stranded in various countries.

It was not immediately clear why the flights were canceled ahead of the deadline.

What they're saying:

"They’re all just kind of stuck there. They’re in limbo…." said Nasreen Sajady, the executive director at Afghan Cultural Society in Minneapolis. "There was over 1,600 people that was ready to board a plane, and they had gone through the vetting, everything was approved for them to arrive, and it was canceled on them just like that."

She said at least some of the refugees were expected to resettle in Minnesota.

Sajady, whose organization helps refugees resettle in the Twin Cities, said she also fears whether she will continue to secure federal funding, which runs out in October.

"How do we keep going? Those are federally funded programs. And, so, what happens if that funding gets cut?" she wondered. "It’s a scary time, I think, for all of us, and we’re just trying to find hope in all of this mess."

After 2021 U.S. withdrawal, Minnesota welcomed Afghan refugees

By the numbers:

Minnesota welcomed more than 1,300 Afghan refugees in the year following the U.S. withdrawal, according to the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Each of the refugees underwenta security vetting prior to arrival, the department said.

What's next:

Under Trump’s order, the Homeland Security secretary is required to submit reports to him every 90 days outlining whether reinstating the program aligns with U.S. interests.