Monday Morning Update -- July 14, 2025
CARE decimated
Another week full of terrible news, but there is at least one bright spot: We hosted our kickoff for Battle Buddies, which has over 550 signups, with veterans from all 50 states and DC having indicated a willingness to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our allies. You can sign up today if you haven’t already.
We also added a lot of new stuff to our online store which is a great way to show solidarity with our allies and help us keep driving the work to help our allies. Get yours today!
What happened last week
Last week, the Supreme Court lifted a lower court’s injunction blocking the Trump Administration from implementing mass layoffs across the federal workforce. This ruling allows the administration to move forward with sweeping removals while legal challenges continue — clearing the way for deep reorganizations across agencies, including those responsible for Afghan relocation and resettlement.
As a result of this decision, the anticipated Reduction in Force (RIF) at the State Department took place on Friday, June 11th and included a complete culling of all CARE leadership, as well as leadership in many critical offices across the Department. Massive cuts took place in the Bureau of Population, Refugees & Migration (PRM), including all direct hire staff in the Refugee Processing Center (RPC), and within the Bureau of Consular Affairs in the executive office, passport, and fraud teams.
This decision completely guts the entire State Department infrastructure for relocating and resettling Afghans – a move inconsistent with keeping our promises to wartime allies and the veterans with whom they served. I sent them a letter thanking them for their service, which I’ve attached here.
Deputy Assistant Secretary Mary Bischoping, herself the child of Afghan refugees, not only did nothing to prevent this – she advocated for it – and then took Friday off, seemingly too cowardly to even be present in the office when her staff was being fired.
We also learned that, with Bischoping leading the push, the U.S. government may begin forcibly repatriating Afghans from Camp As-Sayliyah (CAS) in Doha. This will mean that hundreds of individuals will be sent back to certain death in Afghanistan – despite having been moved to Qatar by the U.S. government.
These case denials (representing about .004% of all individuals who have traveled through CAS during OAW and Enduring Welcome combined) are absolutely a sign that our security vetting process works. We also know that many of those cases had been denied as far back as 2022. Those long-stay cases were left to languish without information or options–an issue we identified and have been pushing government on since 2022. If the Trump Administration chooses to forcibly repatriate those people – in direct opposition to international refugee and human rights laws – that will not be just a policy failure, but a death sentence.
This Administration has chosen cruelty as its policy. We will not be silent. This week, we will spotlight the leadership failures behind this humanitarian catastrophe — starting with DAS Mary Bischoping and her advocacy to send our allies back to oppression, torture, and death under Taliban rule, especially in juxtaposition to the HFAC report on the withdrawal that she authored.
If you are an Afghan evacuee or advocate with something to say, record a video message for DAS Bischoping and tell her how her betrayal impacts you. Use the hashtag #SomethingAboutMary and tag @AfghanEvac — we’ll amplify your voices..
What’s happening this week
Michael Rigas, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources (D-MR) and the architect of the recent RIF / Reorg will be before the House Foreign Affairs Committee for hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday
What We’re Reading
State Department reductions prompt concerns for Afghan refugee aid – Washington Post
Afghans in US lose protections against deportation – The National News
Our closest Afghan allies are in limbo – Washington Examiner
US veterans stand by Afghans in immigration court – Washington Examiner
State Department fires more than 1,300 employees in downsizing plan – Washington Post
End of US protected status for Afghans sparks fears of deportation – Arianna News
Battle Buddies Update – Scripps News
Rubio begins mass firings at State Department: Key takeaways – The Hill
AfghanEvac on the Matt Gaetz Show: Betrayal of our Allies – OANN
The Take: Why are Afghan refugees being sent back to Taliban rule? – AlJazeera
Hospitals struggle, hunger surges in Afghanistan amid U.S. aid cuts – Washington Post
The reality is that the news for our Afghan allies is not good, and each week seems to bring a new hit. But in the face of the abject cruelty being enacted by this Administration, AfghanEvac is committed to being a voice for those who need one. We will keep fighting to do right by our Afghan allies, now and for as long as it takes.