SILVER SPRING, Md. — Five years ago this week, the world watched as desperate Afghans crowded the gates of the Kabul airport, trying to escape as the Taliban seized control of the country. More than 76,000 Afghans were ultimately evacuated to the United States, including people who had worked alongside the U.S. government and military, human rights advocates, and journalists. HIAS and resettlement organizations across the country had days to prepare for their arrival.
“I remember exactly where I was when I realized that we had days, not weeks, to get this right,” said Beth Oppenheim, President & CEO of HIAS. “I was on a call with dozens of people at the State Department, listening while I drove, and we were told that we needed to be ready to receive thousands of Afghans fleeing Kabul. We had already seen the images of families desperately waiting at the airport gates. They needed safe harbor and the refugee agencies were proud to be among those called upon to respond.”
This moment constituted one of the largest and fastest responses in HIAS’ recent history. HIAS sent staff to military bases to help receive evacuated Afghans, and in the year that followed, HIAS and its resettlement partners helped more than 4,300 Afghan families begin new lives across the United States. HIAS also began its “welcome circle” program, through which synagogues and community groups opened their doors to provide additional resettlement support. Across the country, volunteers helped families find housing and enroll their children in school, and thousands of people who had arrived with almost nothing began building new lives.
Today, the pathways that brought Afghans to safety in 2021 have been closed. The refugee resettlement program is not admitting Afghans. There is a travel ban that covers Afghanistan together with one third of the world. Not one Special Immigrant Visa has been issued to an Afghan since January 1, 2026, and access to due process for asylum seekers has been severely restricted. Many of those who arrived remain separated from family members left behind and continue to navigate a harsh and uncertain immigration system. In a moment of crisis for the community, HIAS continues to provide legal and social services to hundreds of Afghan refugees and asylum seekers while advocating for their rights and safety.
“I think about what those families have built here. They became our neighbors. They built businesses. They became colleagues and friends.” Oppenheim said. “But many of the doors that opened to Afghans in 2021 are now being slammed shut. As Jews, we know what it means to have nowhere safe to go and no door open. We will keep showing up, and we will keep fighting for the Afghan community as we have for many years.”
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