The US State Department is conducting a comprehensive review of all visa programs, potentially signaling a new travel ban that could include Afghanistan, according to a CNN report. Although the ban may be implemented as early as next week, final decisions on countries and timing are still uncertain.

President Donald Trump’s executive order issued on January 20 directed cabinet members to compile a list of countries with deficient vetting and screening information, warranting a suspension on the admission of nationals from those countries within 60 days.

If Afghanistan is added to the travel ban, it could affect thousands of Afghans who collaborated with the US during the two-decade-long war, preventing them from entering the US. This move could exacerbate the challenges faced by Afghan nationals awaiting relocation due to previous executive orders suspending refugee admissions and aid funding for Afghan Special Immigrant Visa holders.

Organizations like AfghanEvac and the International Refugee Admissions Project have raised concerns about the potential ban, highlighting the risks it poses to Afghan refugees and their families. They emphasize the urgency for Afghan visa holders to travel to the US promptly amid credible indications of an imminent travel restriction.

The situation has sparked criticism, with IRAP condemning the reported ban as a betrayal of America’s promise to protect Afghan allies and forcibly displaced individuals globally. The uncertainty surrounding the ban’s impact underscores the anxieties and vulnerabilities faced by Afghan refugees targeted by the Taliban.