California Students In Afghanistan: A Lingering Educational Crisis

In August 2021, several dozen schoolchildren and their families from California were stranded in Afghanistan after travelling to the country to visit loved ones. The group, consisting of about 16 adults and 24 students from the Cajon Valley Union School District in El Cajon, near San Diego, were among thousands attempting to leave Afghanistan amid the Taliban takeover and the withdrawal of U.S. troops. While some of the families were able to make it back to the U.S. safely, others remained stuck in Afghanistan, unable to reach the airport due to the chaotic situation in Kabul.

California students stranded in Afghanistan

23 California students and their families stranded in Afghanistan

In August 2021, 23 California school students and their families were stranded in Afghanistan, unable to reach the airport to leave the country. The group, from the city of El Cajon, near San Diego, had been visiting family on special visas. They were eligible for evacuation and had tickets to leave, but the Taliban closed the airport, preventing their exit. School officials expressed concern for their safety and worked with Congressman Darrell Issa's office to expedite their return.

Efforts to evacuate the stranded students and families

The Department of Defense and Congressman Issa's office worked to help evacuate the stranded students and their families from Afghanistan. Congressman Issa stated that he was “working diligently to determine the best ways to help those trapped return home safely" and that he "won't stop until we have answers and action." By August 26, one family comprising four students, a 2-year-old child, and two adults had made it back to El Cajon safely. The fate of the other families was unknown at the time.

Impact of the situation on the students and their families

The situation caused significant stress and worry for both the stranded individuals and those awaiting their return. Fraidoon Hassemi, the district's community liaison, stated that "nobody is doing well" and that the situation was "very horrible." Counseling was made available for the families and their children's schools upon their return. The students were expected to need a lot of support upon their return, with Cajon Valley school board president Tamara Otero expressing concern for their emotional well-being.

Families of California students unable to reach the Kabul airport

Six families from El Cajon, California, consisting of about 16 parents and two dozen children, were stranded in Afghanistan and unable to reach the Kabul airport. The children ranged from preschoolers to high school students. The families had travelled to Afghanistan to visit their relatives and became stuck after the Taliban seized control.

The families were from the Cajon Valley Union School District in El Cajon, a suburb of San Diego that is home to a large number of refugees and immigrants, particularly from Afghanistan and Iraq. The district serves between 16,000 and 17,000 students from preschool through eighth grade.

The families had travelled to Afghanistan separately and were not part of an organized trip. They had arrived in the country in May and June, months before the crisis unfolded and the president of Afghanistan fled as the Taliban took control. They had planned to return to the US before the start of the school year on August 17 but were unable to reach the military side of the Kabul airport due to throngs of Afghans desperately attempting to flee the country and Taliban checkpoints.

School officials and the families reached out to Republican Rep. Darrell Issa and Senator Alex Padilla for help, and they worked with the State Department and the Pentagon to confirm visas, passports, and other paperwork to facilitate the families' escape. As of August 26, at least one family had made it back to the US safely, and four other families were in a secure place and preparing to depart. However, one family was still unable to safely exit and continued to seek help from US officials.

The situation caused significant stress and worry for both the stranded families and those waiting for their return. Fraidoon Hassemi, an Afghan who works as a community liaison for the school district, described the situation as "very horrible," and school board president Tamara Otero expressed deep concern for the students: "We are so worried about our students that are stuck there. We'll do the best we can to get them out."

The US government's efforts to help stranded families

The US government has made several efforts to help stranded families in Afghanistan. Here are some of the key actions taken:

Evacuation Efforts

The US government, in coordination with its allies, carried out one of the largest air evacuations in history, bringing out more than 88,000 people from Afghanistan. This included the evacuation of Americans, US troops, and vulnerable Afghans. The US also facilitated the departure of American citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents, and Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders along with their families. By August 31, 2021, over 122,000 individuals had been evacuated from Afghanistan.

Coordination and Collaboration

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) played a crucial role in coordinating the efforts of Operation Allies Welcome, working closely with the Departments of Defense, State, and Homeland Security. This collaborative effort ensured unity in international negotiations, evacuation priorities, security screening, and COVID-19 vaccinations.

Afghan Placement Assistance Program

The US government developed the Afghan Placement Assistance Program to provide initial relocation support services for Afghan parolees during the evacuation process. This program aimed to assist Afghans in finding temporary housing and accessing essential services upon their arrival in the US.

Increased Staffing and Waived Fees

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) increased staffing to manage the surge in applications for family reunification and humanitarian parole. They also waived immigrant application fees for Afghan evacuees to ease the financial burden on those seeking refuge.

Congressional Funding and Support

Congress passed a resolution allocating $6.3 billion for Operation Allies Welcome to support resettlement efforts and provide care for Afghan evacuees on US military installations. This funding also facilitated additional evacuations from Afghanistan for US citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents, and Afghans at risk.

Engagement with the Taliban

The US government engaged in negotiations with the Taliban to secure safe passage for those wishing to leave Afghanistan. They held the Taliban accountable for their commitment to let people with proper documents leave the country safely and freely.

Humanitarian Assistance

The US continued to provide humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, particularly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the growing food insecurity in the country. This assistance was directed through independent organizations, such as UN agencies and NGOs, to ensure it reached those in need.

Focus on Counterterrorism

The US government maintained its commitment to counterterrorism efforts in Afghanistan, monitoring threats and taking action when necessary, such as striking ISIS facilitators and imminent threats. They held the Taliban accountable for their pledge to prevent terrorist groups from using Afghanistan as a base for external operations.

Assistance for US Service Members' Families

The Pentagon made efforts to evacuate the families of US service members from Afghanistan. They created a database of the dozens of immediate family members, including children, parents, and siblings, who were trapped in the country. The Pentagon worked with the State Department to facilitate their extraction.

Streamlining Visa Processes

The Biden administration took steps to streamline the visa system for Afghans who had assisted American troops. They waived certain requirements, such as medical examinations, and lobbied Congress to expand the number of visas available. However, critics argued that the administration could have done more to expedite the vetting process and facilitate mass evacuations earlier.

Ongoing Efforts

The US government continues to work on evacuating Americans and vulnerable Afghans who wish to leave. They remain committed to helping those who are still stranded and have expressed their determination to provide safe passage and resettlement support.

The impact of the Taliban takeover on evacuation attempts

The Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021 had a significant impact on evacuation attempts. The US had been trying to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan for several years, and the Taliban's rapid advance across the country led to a chaotic and dangerous evacuation process.

The Taliban's offensive began in May 2021, and by mid-August, they had captured most of Afghanistan's provinces and were approaching Kabul. This prompted the US to increase its troop presence at Kabul airport to facilitate evacuations. However, the situation quickly deteriorated as thousands of Afghans rushed to the airport, the only secure route out of the country, in a desperate attempt to escape the Taliban's rule. The airport was soon overwhelmed, and there were reports of violence and deaths as people tried to board flights.

The US and its allies evacuated more than 123,000 people from Kabul airport between 14 and 31 August 2021, when the US military completed its withdrawal. This included foreign nationals, diplomatic staff, military personnel, and vulnerable Afghans such as journalists and human rights activists. However, the process was not without challenges, and the Taliban's control of the country made securing safe passage out of Afghanistan difficult.

The Taliban's takeover also led to a breakdown in security, with thousands of prisoners being released, and the group began imposing restrictive measures on women and girls, limiting their access to education and employment. There were also concerns about the Taliban's ties to terrorist groups and the potential for Afghanistan to become a safe haven for terrorists.

The US and other countries continued their evacuation efforts after the official withdrawal, and as of February 2022, more than 800 Americans had been evacuated from Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover. The US government emphasised its commitment to evacuating remaining citizens and addressing the country's deteriorating humanitarian and economic crises.

The emotional toll on students and their families

The students and their families were in Afghanistan to visit relatives and became stranded when the Taliban took control of the country. The families were blocked from boarding their flights back to California by the throngs of Afghans desperately trying to escape at Kabul airport. The students, ranging from preschoolers to high schoolers, witnessed violence in and around the airport as they tried to get home.

Counselling was made available for the families and their children's schools. Fraidoon Hassemi said that the students would likely need a lot of support when they returned. He said: "I'm sure they are going to be affected emotionally... Their teachers miss them. We all miss them. We hope to see them all back at school."

Cajon Valley School Board President Tamara Otero said: "It's killing us right now. We are so worried about our students that are stuck there. We'll do the best we can to get them out."

Frequently asked questions