Tens of hundreds of households world wide are in limbo after President Trump suspended the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program throughout his first week in workplace.
Amongst them are the family members of an Afghan couple that now lives within the Boston space.
Sabira is 26. She got here to Boston in 2022, on a full scholarship to Northeastern College. She lately obtained a grasp’s diploma in journalism there. WBUR is not utilizing her final identify, as a result of her husband did intelligence work in Afghanistan’s navy and helped U.S. forces within the warfare there. They worry that historical past may make him a goal of the Taliban.
Sabira’s husband resettled within the U.S. after fleeing Afghanistan within the 2021 evacuation and dwelling for a time in Uzbekistan.
Final yr, Sabira was granted asylum within the U.S. She lately obtained her inexperienced card. She stated she and her husband sponsored their dad and mom and siblings to hitch them right here within the U.S. as refugees, however that course of is now on maintain due to the president’s order.
Sabira advised WBUR’s All Issues Thought of host Lisa Mullins her life right here is incomplete.
Interview Highlights
On lacking her household and never understanding when she’ll see them:
“I got here right here in an excellent nation with higher alternatives, however I am not blissful as I ought to be, as a result of I haven’t got relations [here]. And abruptly this new administration … they simply closed the hope doorways for the refugees — that they’d a window of hope that they may lastly reunite with their household.
“I might say that was the saddest factor to share with [my] relations, as a result of they’re ready in Pakistan only for this course of that they are going to be enrolled as refugees to enter to United States legally. It isn’t secure to return to Afghanistan.”
On the dangers her household faces in the event that they return to Afghanistan:
“In fact, they’ve a worry of their life. They are going to be persecuted, as a result of they have already got confronted these points and the threats and the torture from Taliban prior to now of those three years that they had been in Afghanistan.
“My father was, his whole life, a authorities worker. And likewise, my mother was a free lady, and he or she had her personal bakery and [was] working on a regular basis. So she misplaced her job [after the Taliban took over], and in addition my brother was a tattoo artist and had his personal small enterprise of, like, the stuff that has been counted as a sin for the Taliban as a non secular level. That is what the Taliban believes.
“And my brother has a whole lot of tattoos on his physique as nicely. He has been arrested a few instances, and he was tortured. Then the Taliban will [remove] pores and skin off his physique — the elements that he has tattooed. That was the saddest half. My brother stayed greater than 4 nights with the Taliban within the jail.
“And Pakistan is just not additionally secure, both, as a result of [my and my husband’s family members] are staying unlawful with none visa or licensed authorized documentation. So they aren’t allowed to work. They do not have entry to the well being care companies. They cannot go to high school. Like how they will survive? They can’t go exterior to stroll freely. They’re dwelling hidden, as a result of the police in Pakistan, they’re arresting Afghans and they’re deporting them.”
On how she feels about dwelling within the U.S. when her household is unable to do the identical:
“I actually really feel responsible. I felt responsible being right here, like, to have higher alternatives, to have a greater and secure life in comparison with my relations. I really feel responsible that I am unable to assist them.
“I’ve sisters. They’re educated. They’ve attended superb colleges. They’ve superb levels from their colleges. However now they’re all housewives. Once I graduated from Northeastern, I used to be not very blissful to share these sort of moments with my household and my siblings, as a result of I used to be simply feeling responsible that, oh, I’ve this chance to be right here and be secure, and have probably the most freedom that I wished ever in my life. However my siblings, my dad and mom, they do not have [that] now.
“However nonetheless, the one factor that I additionally wished to share [is] that being within the U.S., particularly in Boston, I acquired all of the help that I wanted. I noticed a really form and really welcome group. They helped refugees in each potential means they might, and meaning rather a lot. I came upon that dwelling is just not all the time a roof over your head. House is someplace that you simply really feel secure. It is someplace you can communicate freely, you may reside freely, and have all these alternatives that you need to have and fundamental rights that you need to have.”
This section aired on February 20, 2025.
