Trump administration told to resume special visas for Afghans, Iraqis who worked with U.S. troops

A federal judge has ruled to require the Trump administration to resume processing visa applications for asylum Afghans who worked with U.S. troops.

This case dates back to 2018 — when a group of Iraqis and Afghans filed suit on the grounds that their Special Immigrant Visa applications, or SIVs, had been stalled.

The visa was created after Congress passed a series of laws starting in 2007 to help Iraqi and Afghan nationals facing serious threats in their countries due to their work with U.S. troops or other government entities.

The Biden administration resumed processing visas under court order. But at the end of last year, the Trump administration enacted travel bans for several countries, including Afghanistan — stalling processing once again.

In a ruling this month, District Judge Tanya Chutkan says the administration has failed to cite authority to “disregard the clear commands of Congress” and the court.

“In 2020, the court entered an injunction ordering Defendants to promptly process class members’ applications. Now, in the wake of the tragic shooting of two National Guardsmen, Defendants have announced that they will no longer obey the court’s injunction,” the ruling reads.

Chutkan ordered the administration to resume processing and requires a check in later this month.

Some 3,800 Afghans have been resettled in Arizona since U.S. troops left the country in 2021.