Many Afghans looked to the United States as a haven. After twenty years of serving alongside Americans, from the military to businesses, non-government organizations and educational institutions, expectations after Afghanistan’s regime change ran high. Surely the people with whom they worked would offer immigration opportunities in the land of the free. 88,500 Afghan citizens were fortunate to be airlifted out of the country, arriving in America with humanitarian parole benefits and a safe, secure chance to rebuild their lives. Others were not. Afghan refugees travel up to 16,000 miles, mostly by foot, to the United States because they are desperate. They have no choice. Fleeing one’s home is not a decision taken lightly. It means leaving behind everything familiar, everyone you once knew, often including your family. The route is perilous. According to the United Nations, 1,250 Afghan migrants have died trying to make the journey to freedom since 2021. Countries such as …