State Department fires leaders of Afghan relocation efforts

Afghan refugees line up to board a C-17 Globemaster in Kabul, August 2021. Defense Department photo The Department of State sent layoff notices to all members of the leadership team coordinating Afghan relocation efforts on Friday, signaling a marked departure from the United States’ purported commitment to Afghan allies.  The layoffs, which were confirmed by the San Diego-based coalition AfghanEvac, come amid the Trump administration’s plan to reorganize the State Department, which began cutting its workforce by around 15%. On Friday, the Associated Press reported that the department had fired more than 1,300 staffers.  The Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts, or CARE, office was formed in 2021 after the U.S. government withdrew from Afghanistan. CARE focused on relocating and processing vulnerable individuals including Afghans, American citizens, refugees and Special Immigrant Visa Holders at risk in Afghanistan due to their association with the United States. According to AfghanEvac president Shawn VanDiver, CARE helped to relocate nearly 200,000 Afghan allies and their family members since its inception.  CARE was mandated by Congress through 2027 and the federal government has yet to announce a new coordinator for Afghan relocation. The CARE contact center is also set to shut down at the end of July, according to VanDiver.  “This isn’t just a policy decision — it’s a moral collapse,” read a statement from AfghanEvac. “At a time when Afghans are still stuck in harm’s way, including in U.S. custody abroad, the people who made our government’s most effective coordination effort possible are being shown the door.”