Monday Morning Update -- September 8, 2025
Before we get into the weeds, two quick but important calls to action.
First, if you know of Afghans facing court dates, please submit those cases through our Battle Buddies case information portal so we can ensure veterans are standing with them in the courtroom.
Second, our ability to keep fighting depends on resources. If you value these updates and the work we’re doing together, please donate today. Every contribution helps us keep pressure on the administration, support Afghans in crisis, and push for the policies our allies deserve.
With that, here’s the latest from another week of difficult but critical developments.
Pakistan Deportations
This past week we saw continued issues arise as Afghans are being deported from Pakistan – including those in the U.S. pipeline. We’re hearing reports that Afghans are being told that the letters they received last year from the U.S. government, meant to provide some protection from deportation as their cases were processing, are no longer valid.
Afghans in Pakistan should email the appropriate inbox below if being harassed or threatened with deportation:
Consular cases (SIV/IV): IslamabadTaskForceASIV@state.gov
USRAP P1/P2, DS-4317, other refugee cases: IslamabadRefugeeAffairs@state.gov
The situation in Pakistan is frustrating – under the previous administration, so much work and effort was put into improving and scaling processing for Afghans in that country, and ensuring their protection. We will continue to provide updates, but we also implore the State Department to engage with the Government of Pakistan on behalf of our Afghan wartime allies in that country before more individuals are forcibly deported back to Afghanistan.
CEAC Technical Issues
We are also tracking closely what we believe to be a system issue within CEAC – the Consular Electronic Application Center. In the past week, a significant number of Afghan cases that had been assigned to a post received notifications that their cases were being transferred. Some of those who received the notice are here in the U.S. and have already received their visas, and so should have no need to have their cases transferred anywhere. Others are awaiting processing in third countries but have had their cases transferred without having requested it, and to posts that they did not designate.
It has caused significant confusion and distress for those who received the notices, and we urge the National Visa Center to communicate directly with those in question to set the record straight, and to publicly share what, if anything, needs to be done to ensure those cases are assigned to the correct and appropriate posts for processing.
While the government has not confirmed that this was a technical issue, we are operating under the assumption that it was – if you have or are working on a case that has received this notification in seeming error, please fill out this form so we know the extent of the problem: afghanevac.org/ceac-changes
Robert Law – The man reportedly behind ending TPS is about to get a bigger job
The Senate is expected to vote this week on Robert Law’s nomination to be DHS Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans. Minority Leader Thune filed cloture on Thursday, with the vote expected tomorrow and confirmation likely to follow. Law has already been operating in a senior role at DHS, but Senate approval would cement his authority.
Law has been a central architect of the administration’s hard-line immigration agenda. He reportedly drove the termination of TPS for Afghans, supported detentions of lawfully present Afghan allies, and previously held leadership roles at FAIR and CIS, two organizations known for restrictionist policies. His record at USCIS included the “no-blank-space” rejection rule and the Public Charge expansion. Confirmation would give him the mandate to accelerate DHS’s current course, with direct consequences for Afghan allies still abroad and those already here.
Military Lawyers as Immigration Judges
In a troubling development this week, the Trump administration moved to deploy up to 600 Department of Defense attorneys—including active-duty, reserve, and National Guard Judge Advocates General—as temporary immigration judges, responding to soaring court backlogs. This could effectively double the number of immigration judges nationwide, with initial deployments slated for 150 attorneys and assignments lasting up to 179 days.
Critics — including the American Immigration Council and the American Immigration Lawyers Association — warn this is a dangerous shortcut. These military attorneys lack the specialized training that permanent judges undergo, and the DOJ has relaxed prior experience requirements to enable these moves. That raises serious concerns about fairness, due process, and politicization of the courts.
Legislative Update
We also continue to watch the progress of the Afghan Adjustment Act and the Enduring Welcome Act in Congress. Both have bipartisan support and would enact critical measures to provide Afghan allies with stability here in the U.S. and a renewed chance at relocation and resettlement from overseas. The Afghan Adjustment Act (AAA), would provide for permanent status for Afghans already here as parolees; the Enduring Welcome Act (EWA) would restart the relocation operations that had been ongoing since the U.S. withdrawal until January of this year. If you haven’t yet, please read more about these critical pieces of legislation and consider supporting the AAA and EWA – and ask your Members of Congress to support it if they aren’t already.
What We’re Reading
Trump’s Pick for DHS Policy Chief Tied to Hate Groups, Anti-DACA Rhetoric – Migrant Insider
Trump Drags JAGs Into Immigration Court – The Bulwark
UN body finds US and UAE responsible for Afghan refugee's arbitrary detention – Reuters
US veterans decry arrest of ex-army sergeant after ICE protest – The Guardian
Afghan migrants report surge in forced deportations from Pakistan – ANI
4 years after the US withdrew from Afghanistan, local refugees, veterans share concerns – MSN
A Navy SEAL’s Afghan interpreter fights for a US visa from Rwanda – ABC News
This week is pivotal. With the Senate preparing to vote on Robert Law and DHS doubling down on harmful policies, your voice matters more than ever. Call your Senators and tell them to oppose his confirmation, keep sharing Battle Buddies cases, and don’t let up on pushing Congress to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act and Enduring Welcome Act. Together, we’ve kept this fight alive — now we need to turn up the pressure while simultaneously making sure not to set unrealistic expectations with our allies.