Editor,

In August 2021, over 80,000 people in Afghanistan fled their country for their lives. Many had worked for the U.S. Army and were being targeted by the Taliban. Local communities in America organized themselves into Sponsor Circles and stepped up to meet the challenge of resettlement. We spread the word to our Whidbey neighbors and within days people volunteered to assist with financial support and other necessities.

In April 2022, we welcomed an Afghan family of five at the airport. They had spent the previous seven months in refugee tent camps and cramped hotels.

We waited at the bottom of the escalator holding a sign with Arabic script. Passengers before them commented, “Oh, you must be here for the Afghan family. They are wonderful people. You’ll love them!” In Afghanistan, the man had suffered multiple violent attacks. Now as they entered the United States, they were full of hope.

Our neighbors helped them to learn English, find jobs, rent a house, get driver’s licenses and purchase a car. The family was able to support themselves within the first year.

They had arrived in America under the Humanitarian Parole program, which gave them time to apply for asylum. The vetting process required multiple interviews with federal agents and took over a year to complete. Finally in September 2023, they received notice that they had been granted asylum, which meant that they could stay in the U.S. temporarily. To gain permanent residency, they would need to apply for green cards. They dream of becoming U.S. citizens someday.

In the first few months of 2025, the Trump administration turned its back on refugees, both those in the U.S. under the Humanitarian Parole program and those who have received Asylum status.

On April 11, several thousand humanitarian parolees received an email stating that “your parole will terminate 7 days from the date on this notice. If you do not depart the United States immediately you will be subject to potential law enforcement actions.”

Furthermore, the Trump administration has put a pause on green card applications for those who have already been granted asylum, ostensibly for “enhanced vetting”. The family we supported has already undergone multiple interviews with federal agents and has submitted many pages of documentation concerning the threats they face in Afghanistan. They are good hardworking people who deserve to carry on their lives in the U.S. without intimidation by the Trump administration.

David and Cynthia Trowbridge

Greenbank