(Reuters) Farzana Jamalzada fled Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover in August 2021, fearful that her work with the U.S. government would put her in danger. She found refuge in the U.S. and moved to New York City where she secured a job with a charity organization that helped pay for rent and other necessities.
But her work permit — and that of her husband Farhad — expired at the end of August, leaving them in limbo for weeks or more as they wait for an immigration interview related to their application for permanent residence.
“We really don’t have a lot of savings,” she said. “If we lose our insurances or our benefits, what should we do? Health insurance is very, very expensive here.”
The struggle with immigration paperwork is common for the more than 70,000 Afghans who were evacuated to the U.S. since 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome.
