PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: The State Department has announced plans to close its Afghan refugee resettlement office as part of a reorganization effort.
👥 Who’s Involved: The State Department, Congress, the Office of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE), and the Afghanistan Affairs Office.
📍 Where & When: United States; changes to take effect by July 1.
💬 Key Quote: “The planned changes are… reflective of the administration’s and secretary’s broader efforts to streamline government functions, eliminate redundancy, and enhance accountability,” according to a letter sent to Congress.
⚠️ Impact: The closure affects the resettlement of Afghan refugees in the U.S. following the Afghanistan war and is part of broader workforce reductions impacting over 300 offices.
IN FULL:
The State Department has informed Congress of its decision to close the Office of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE), a program established to assist Afghan refugees following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Additionally, the role of the special representative for Afghan reconstruction will be eliminated as part of these changes.
According to a letter sent to lawmakers, the office’s responsibilities will be transferred to the Afghanistan Affairs Office as part of a broader reorganization strategy. Set to take effect by July 1, the changes are part of the administration’s plan to streamline government operations through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The letter states that more than 300 offices will undergo restructuring “to refocus on core U.S. foreign policy objectives and the needs of contemporary diplomacy.”
The CARE office was originally created under the Biden government to support Afghan refugees claimed to have worked alongside American forces or their relatives.
“The planned changes are also reflective of the administration’s and secretary’s broader efforts to streamline government functions, eliminate redundancy, and enhance accountability,” the letter reads.
Meanwhile, concerns about the legitimacy of Afghan asylum claims have been raised in other countries. The National Pulse previously reported that Germany found that thousands of so-called Afghan asylum seekers have actually traveled back to their home country on multiple occasions, even vacationing there, suggesting they face no genuine threat from the Taliban.
