Nearly two years since the Taliban once again seized control of Afghanistan, thousands of Afghans are rebuilding their lives in cities across America.
About 76,000 were evacuated from Kabul airport on U.S. military planes in one of the largest airlift operations in history. Others made dangerous journeys through Central and South America to reach the US southern border. Whatever route they took, they carried little more than hope for better lives and brighter futures.
San Antonio, a military city with unique ties to the post-9/11 wars, was the fourth largest resettlement area for Afghans after the fall of their country. But arrival in a new land doesn’t guarantee stability. Some Afghans are languishing in bureaucratic limbo, while others have taken tentative steps to rebuild their communities.
This special series from TPR News explores challenges they've faced and the ones still ahead of them: the immigration processing delays, the cultural differences, the future prospects for their children -- and how their experiences enrich the San Antonio community.
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Nestled between San Antonio’s Medical Center hospitals, doctor’s offices, coffee shops, the VA, and corporate headquarters is a growing community of people who have settled from halfway around the world. -
“We've seen women who have not gone outside the door in six months," said Margaret Constantino, executive director of the Center for Refugee Services in San Antonio. "How does anybody stay healthy in that kind of environment?” -
Hundreds of recent Afghan immigrant families have enrolled in San Antonio schools since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021. -
Nearly two years after the fall of the government in Afghanistan, people are still fleeing the Taliban to the United States. They make the arduous journey across Central and South America — walking through jungles — to reach the southern border, only to find uncertainty and frustration. -
The Biden administration is working to allow tens of thousands of Afghans to remain in the United States. After the Taliban takeover two years ago, they were allowed to come to the U.S. under a temporary program, but that program is scheduled to expire this summer.
