The Trump administration is working to relocate more than 1,100 Afghans housed at a former U.S. military base in Qatar as travel restrictions continue to limit entry into the United States, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The State Department is negotiating with countries in Africa and Asia to take in the group as it moves to close Camp As Sayliyah, where the Afghans have remained for more than a year.
Many were evacuated after the fall of Afghanistan in 2021 and were awaiting final decisions on visa or refugee applications before entering the United States.
Several hundred applicants at the camp have since been denied visas, the Journal reported, while others remain in pending status without a current pathway to enter the country.
Maintaining the facility costs more than $10 million per month from a State Department fund, and Qatar has pressed the United States to shut down the site, which was not intended to operate long-term.
The administration has pursued agreements with multiple countries after earlier efforts to place individuals in Arab and Muslim-majority nations were unsuccessful.
Residents at the camp continue to receive food, supplies, and internet access, though some nonessential services were reduced after regional security concerns.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the situation stems from earlier policy decisions tied to the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
"The real story here is the Biden Administration's chaotic and poorly executed withdrawal from Afghanistan, which created a crisis we are still dealing with today, including many who were not properly vetted and were placed on temporary platforms with promises that could not be kept," Pigott said.
The administration has also offered financial incentives for voluntary return to Afghanistan, including payments to applicants and family members, while acknowledging potential risks tied to returning under Taliban rule.
Some individuals at the camp have accepted the repatriation option after extended stays, though the State Department has not released figures on how many have returned.
The State Department has not provided a timeline for resolving the situation after missing a March 31 target to close the camp.
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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