Afghans in Albania face uncertainty after Trump suspends refugee program!
In Albania, thousands of Afghans who fled their country to escape Taliban rule are facing uncertainty as they await approval for U.S. visas. Amid the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and rising Taliban violence, the United States under President Biden expanded the scope of at-risk Afghan citizens eligible for U.S. refugee status.
Employees and former employees of U.S.-based news organizations were included, as were U.S.-based aid and development agencies and other aid groups that receive U.S. funding. Employees and former employees of the U.S. government and NATO military operations who did not meet the criteria for a dedicated program for such workers were also covered.
However, the measure came with a major caveat that severely limited the number of people who could benefit: applicants would have to leave Afghanistan and begin the adjudication process, which could take 12-14 months, in a third country. The US had no intention of supporting their departures or stays there.
More than 3,200 Afghans, many of whom had qualified for a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV), are staying in Albania. Upon arrival, they were interviewed and asked to provide the necessary documentation to proceed with their applications.
But in his first days in office, President Trump's administration announced that the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program would be suspended starting January 27 for at least three months. During that period, the White House said the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, would submit a report to the president on whether restarting the program is in the U.S. interest, according to Reuters.
Refugees who were approved to travel to the United States before January 27 had their travel plans canceled by the Trump administration. Among those affected are more than 1,600 Afghans allowed to resettle in the U.S. That number includes those who worked alongside U.S. soldiers during the war, as well as family members of active-duty U.S. military personnel.
Many Afghan refugees in Albania still hope that Washington will fulfill its promise to accept them, away from the oppressive Taliban regime.
According to Reuters, despite initial promises of more moderate rule, the Taliban quickly began to implement restrictions on women and girls, banning them from public spaces and most workplaces, as well as banning education for girls beyond the sixth grade.
In Shëngjin, a town on the Adriatic coast about 70 kilometers northwest of the Albanian capital of Tirana, hundreds of Afghans were given temporary shelter after the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in August 2021. At the time, US and NATO troops were in the final weeks of their withdrawal after two decades of war, while the US-backed Afghan government and army collapsed.
Thousands of Afghans have been staying in Albania's tourist resorts along the Adriatic Sea. A NATO member, Albania initially agreed to house the Afghan refugees for a year before their eventual settlement in the United States, then pledged to keep them longer if their visas were delayed.
Poll
Food Safety/ Denaj: 48,232 animal movement certificates have been issued!
According to information released to the media during 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has issued 48,232 certificates for the movement......
The Dollar and the Pound Strengthen - How Much Are the Major Currencies Exchanged Today?
The US dollar strengthened today, being bought at 94 lek and being sold at 95.2 lek according to the local exchange rate. The euro did not have significant......
Meta, 65 billion USD investments for "AI" - More jobs, data centers to increase competition in the market
Meta Platforms plans to spend up to $65 billion this year to expand its artificial intelligence infrastructure, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said. The company aims to......
How many immigrants have registered to vote? - CEC: As of Monday noon, over 29 thousand have been rejected
This year, in the parliamentary elections, Albanian citizens working and living abroad will have the opportunity to participate through voting by registering......
What do we benefit from the Development Bank? - Zefi: Deposits with lower interest rates, but a higher degree of security
The Albanian Development Bank, in addition to supporting Albanian enterprises with financing and developing strategic projects, will also offer opportunities......
Italy, 10 billion USD agreement with Saudi Arabia - Aims to strengthen partnership in infrastructure, energy, defense
Italy has signed cooperation and industrial agreements worth around $10 billion with Saudi Arabia, as part of a strengthened strategic partnership between......
Illegal constructions "flourished" last year as well - Zhllima: The highest cases are recorded in rural areas
Private houses, additional floors or buildings for financial gain, 1076 cases of illegal construction were recorded last year. According to data from the......
Hungary withdraws veto threat against Russia - EU agrees to reinstate new sanctions!
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed on Sunday that its forces had captured Velyka Novosilka, a town in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region. The town is a key......
