Abdul, an Afghan journalist who helped promote American values like democracy and freedom, now finds himself in California, applying for political asylum. After the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban tortured him for his work. "We trusted these values," Abdul said. "We came here for safety, but now we don’t have it."
During his asylum hearing in San Diego, Abdul wasn’t alone. Ten U.S. veterans showed up to support him—unarmed but wearing military gear as a "show of force," according to Shawn VanDiver, a Navy veteran who founded Battle Buddies, a group that aids Afghan refugees facing deportation. "Federal agents are targeting our friends, people who risked their lives for us," VanDiver said.
Around 200,000 Afghans were relocated to the U.S. after Kabul fell to the Taliban in August 2021, many of them having worked alongside U.S. military personnel or NGOs. At first, they felt welcomed, but the Trump administration ended many of the programs that protected them from deportation. Now, many fear they will be sent back to Afghanistan, where the Taliban rules.
The Battle Buddies, who now have over 900 veterans across the U.S., believe they have a moral duty to stand by Afghan allies. "We can’t abandon them now," VanDiver said. "We owe them our support." Their presence at hearings aims to deter federal agents, many of whom are veterans, from detaining these wartime allies.
At Abdul’s hearing, veterans stood in solidarity outside the courtroom, facing off with masked ICE agents. It was the same place where another Afghan, Sayed Naser, was detained just weeks earlier. Naser, a translator for the U.S. military, was handcuffed despite having documents proving his service. He’s been in detention ever since, fighting for asylum.
Veterans say abandoning Afghan allies will damage U.S. credibility and hurt national security by making it harder to recruit allies in the future. "These people took huge risks to help us," said Monique Labarre, a U.S. Army veteran. "To send them back now would be a betrayal."
The Trump administration’s policies, including the termination of Operation Enduring Welcome and temporary protections for Afghans, have led to fears of deportation. Despite claims from the Department of Homeland Security that Afghanistan's security situation has improved, many Afghans in the U.S. argue they would face severe danger if sent back.
Sofia, an Afghan woman in Virginia, shared her fear: "I couldn’t work. My daughters couldn’t go to school." She, along with others, received a chilling email in April saying their parole would expire soon. While Sofia’s asylum case is still pending, the letter sent shockwaves through the Afghan community.
In a statement, Trump said he would take care of "the good ones" among the Afghans, but critics argue his administration’s policies have put them at risk. Advocates are pushing for the reinstatement of temporary protected status for Afghan refugees, especially women and children, who are most vulnerable under the Taliban’s rule.
As for Abdul, he’s relieved not to have been detained, though his battle isn’t over. "It’s a relief," he said, thanking the veterans for their support. "But I still fear ICE detention, and I worry that the values I believed in, and was tortured for, are slowly being eroded."
"In Afghanistan, we were afraid of the Taliban," Abdul added. "Now, we feel the same fear here from ICE."
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