Five years ago, the fall of Kabul forced tens of thousands of Afghans to leave behind their homes, careers, schools, loved ones, and futures they had imagined. 

For many, the journey to safety did not end when they reached the United States. It was only the beginning. 

At International Institute of Los Angeles (IILA), a community of supporters have spent the past five years helping Afghan families turn that uncertain beginning into a new life. Together, IILA donors, volunteers, and staff have helped families find homes, enroll children in school, navigate immigration systems, access benefits, find employment, and begin to feel that they belong. 

Five years later, that support continues to make a difference. But Afghan families in the U.S. now face new challenges, while more than 1,100 vetted Afghan allies remain stranded abroad and in urgent need of a path to safety.

At eighteen years old, Mursal was forced to flee Kabul with her family because of her father's work with the U.S. military. "We were told to go to the airport immediately," she says. "We had two hours. We were allowed to bring only our passports and a backpack." 

The family was among those lucky enough to be among the nearly 76,000 Afghans resettled in the United States under Operation Allies Welcome. But in Los Angeles, safety brought its own challenges. She recalls: "I was navigating a new language, a new culture, and an entirely new life, while carrying the grief of loss and separation." 

But Mursal found community in IILA donors, volunteers, and staff. "What made survival possible was community," she says. "We received countless warm welcomes, support, and donations that made the place we stayed turn into an actual home." 

Together, donors, volunteers, and staff helped provide Mursal and nearly 900 others with the initial resources needed to gain stability in Southern California. 

Eventually, Mursal began helping translate for other clients during immigration processes. IILA invested in her potential, and she became an Immigration Case Manager herself.

Afghan families are working, starting businesses, buying homes, raising children, and contributing to their communities.  

Umaima, a fellow IILA Case Manager, reflects on the achievement of her own husband, who arrived in 2021. Through dedicated hard work, he purchased a home and established two businesses on his own within just a few short years. "His story is not unique," she emphasizes.  

Given the chance to rebuild, Afghan families are contributing to their communities, creating jobs, and strengthening the Los Angeles region. 

Together, as a community, our role has and continues to be helping ensure our Afghan neighbors and other newcomers have that opportunity to thrive. 

Five years after Kabul, Afghan families continue to face significant challenges amidst these successes. The government that promised to protect and welcome them has largely become an obstacle. 

While nearly all of IILA's Afghan clients were granted asylum through the hard work of our Afghan Legal Representation Project team, some are still awaiting the security that comes from a green card in these times of indiscriminate immigration enforcement. Others continue to suffer the pain of separation while loved ones remain stranded due to travel bans or restrictions to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program in U.S. holdings like Camp As-Sayliyah in Qatar, despite strict government vetting. 

For some families, the father remains the sole income earner while supporting relatives in Afghanistan as well as a large household here in the United States. As food, rental, and other forms of assistance disappear, even families working hard toward self-sufficiency can struggle to meet basic needs. 

The emotional toll is real. IILA staff regularly connect clients with mental health resources as families cope with financial insecurity, separation, and uncertainty about their futures. 

We applaud the resilience of our Afghan friends who have arrived since 2021. We celebrate the countless contributions that volunteers, donors, and staff have made to their journeys. 

And we continue to advocate for the complete fulfillment of America’s promise to our allies.  

At Camp As-Sayliyah in Qatar, more than 1,100 Afghans (including 400 children) have spent the last year and a half waiting for a path forward, despite allying with the US during its 20-year occupation of Afghanistan.  The camp is set to close on September 30, and the US has considered sending them to the Democratic Republic of Congo or back to Afghanistan. As the future of the camp remains uncertain, we cannot let families to be forgotten. 

Contact your members of Congress and urge them to advocate for a safe, permanent solution for Afghans still at Camp As-Sayliyah, including admission to the United States for those who are eligible.