DES MOINES, Iowa – Afghan refugees living in the Des Moines metro have recently begun receiving apparent deportation notices. For many who were American allies in the War Against Terrorism, they believe the clock is ticking down to a life-or-death decision.

“Since I heard that, and I seen those notices, trust me, I cannot eat well and I cannot sleep,” Shir A. Safi told WHO-13’s Katie Kaplan.

For Safi, he said his relationship with American troops began as a boy when he would walk three-and-a-half miles along an Interstate to get to school in Afghanistan.

“Their tanks would come there, and Taliban would fire on them from (the) mountains, and I had to hide behind their tanks,” he said. “They give me shelter while there was fighting going on, and they would talk to me and ask me questions. And they became my friend because it was (an) everyday thing for me.”

Safi said that on the day he took his final exam, he headed to an Afghan military recruitment office and signed up to join American forces in the war against terrorism.

“I fought for 12 and a half years alongside (sic) my American friends,” he said.

In 2021, when American troops withdrew from the area and the Taliban took control, he was evacuated by the U.S. Government to Iowa and settled in Des Moines. After a fellow Afghan refugee was hit by a car and killed in the metro while crossing the street, he felt compelled to help.

In 2022, he founded the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization ‘Afghan Partners in Iowa‘ that now helps 1,250 Afghan refugee families who are living in Iowa under a federal Temporary Protected Status (TPS) assimilate to American life.

“I said, ‘They just survived the horrible war in Afghanistan, and now they are dying in the street,’” he recalled. “So, I (sic) decided that moment that I need to save them, I need to help them.”

He now helps to coordinate English language classes and lessons in how to use modern technology, something he said many Afghan people, especially women, are not familiar with. The organization also helps the refugees build a resume and find employment in an area where they might already have skills, and are taught basic lessons in how to cross the street, how to find the bus routes and where to shop for groceries.

But since April 6, Safi said roughly 200 of his clients have received deportation letters via email purportedly from Homeland Security stating, “It is time for you to leave the United States.” He believes the U.S. Government sent the letters to the emails provided by the refugees in their registration paperwork.

He said the letters have left him and other Afghan-American allies living in fear.

“My big concern is they will all be tortured and they will be killed, and that- in Afghanistan, in the hands of (the) Taliban- will not be easy,” he said.

The letters have come weeks after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said it was terminating the TPS status for Afghan refugees. The department provided a copy of a statement it first issued to the New York Times.

“Secretary Noem made the decision to terminate TPS for individuals from Afghanistan because the country’s improved security situation and its stabilizing economy no longer prevent them from returning to their home country. Additionally, the termination furthers the national interest and the statutory provision that TPS is in fact designed to be temporary.

Additionally, DHS records indicate that there are Afghan nationals who are TPS recipients who have been the subject of administrative investigations for fraud, public safety, and national security.”

-Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin:

However, the U.S. Department of State, which is responsible for the country’s foreign policy and relations, still has Afghanistan listed as a ‘Level Four: Do Not Travel’ advisory, citing, in part, due to civil unrest, crime, and terrorism. While the advisory is for American citizens, the details are at odds with some of Secretary Noem’s findings.

The statement, attributed to Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, did not differentiate between Afghan refugees and Afghan military soldiers who aided American troops during combat. WHO-13 followed up with the DHS and asked if the Secretary was going to “make any considerations for Afghan military soldiers who aided American soldiers,” and requested a statement on the matter, but did not receive a response.

Safi said he was promised protection by American forces when he helped them during combat and that he is still hoping the letters to Afghan military allies are a mistake, and that the U.S Government will step in to protect its brothers in arms.

WHO-13 reached out to Congressman Zach Nunn, who is an American military Veteran who served in the Middle East. He issued a statement that said he was aware of the situation and is working to see what the “next steps will look like.”

“Upon learning of DHS actions, our team took immediate action including contacting both DHS and refugee advocate groups to get clarity and ensure transparency for people affected. As a combat veteran who led efforts saving hundreds of Americans and allies left behind by Biden’s disastrous abandonment of Afghanistan, this is personal to me. We are working to confirm how many individuals in our communities received these notices, and to see what next steps will look like.”

— Rep. Zach Nunn

WHO-13 also reached out to Governor Kim Reynolds’ office for comment, but did not hear back.

If you are interested in helping Afghan refugees in Iowa, you can donate your time and/or skills, or make a financial contribution through their website. If you would like to voice an opnion about Afghan military refugees who fear they may be deported, you are encouraged to write to your local Congressional representative.