Special Edition: State Department's SIV Wind-Down Plan
The Biden-Era Afghan Special Immigrant Visa wind-down plan, and what it reveals
In recent weeks, there has been growing confusion about the State Department’s plan for Afghan Special Immigrant Visas, particularly following developments in court and ongoing delays in processing.
To help clarify what exists, what was intended, and what is actually happening, we are sharing a closer look at the plan developed by the State Department, at the direction of Congress, to finish processing Afghan SIVs.
It was not created in secret. It was required by Congress in the FY 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, which directed the Department of State to produce a strategy for completing the program.
It has not previously been released publicly but we have now reviewed that plan
Its intent is clear: finish the job.
What the plan actually does
The report outlines a pathway to process all remaining Afghan SIV applicants, not to end the program early or quietly phase it out.
At its core, the plan is built on a few key assumptions:
All eligible Afghan SIV applicants will be processed, not left behind
Enduring Welcome continues operating, including relocation and processing at overseas platforms
Congress provides additional visas, recognizing current allocations are insufficient
Staffing and infrastructure remain in place, allowing the system to function at scale
Taken together, this is not a plan to abandon commitments. It is a plan to complete the mission responsibly.
And it reflects bipartisan intent.
What the plan depends on
This roadmap only works if the system around it continues to function.
That means:
Ongoing relocation operations through Enduring Welcome
Sufficient staffing across State, USCIS, and partner agencies
Continued visa issuance and interview scheduling
Additional visa allocations authorized by Congress
Remove those elements, and the plan cannot succeed.
What has changed
Since this plan was delivered, the system it depends on has been weakened:
Enduring Welcome has been shut down
Staffing has been reduced across the enterprise
Visa issuances have completely stopped.
Coordination across agencies has degraded, creating further delays
These are not small shifts. They are decisions that directly undermine the assumptions the plan was built on.
Why this matters
This is not a debate about policy design.
It is about outcomes.
The plan shows how the United States could complete its commitments to Afghan allies in an orderly and accountable way.
The current trajectory points somewhere else.
And that difference will determine whether thousands of Afghan allies are brought to safety, or left behind.
The core question
If there is a clear, congressionally mandated path to finish processing Afghan SIVs, why are we moving away from it?
This is no longer about planning. It is about choice.
And choices have consequences.
What you can do
Learn more about the current state of the SIV program by visiting our explainer.
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Despite the confusion and delays, we still hold on to hope that the process will move forward with fairness and urgency. Thousands of Afghan SIV applicants have waited patiently, often under difficult and dangerous conditions. We trust that the State Department will take the necessary steps to bring clarity, speed up the process, and honor its commitments. Hope remains strong, and we continue to look forward to positive progress.
Shawn, who would you consider the strongest advocates within the Congress for completing the job well? Can email or DM. Robin Matthewman