"Living in America Is Not Easy": Exploring Afghan Evacuees Resettlement Experiences in the United States

Background and Purpose: In August 2021, the United States completed the withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan with the Taliban quickly taking control of the country, displacing nearly one million Afghans. The Biden Administration evacuated around 76,000 Afghans to the U.S. who have been granted humanitarian parole/evacuee status. Considering how the refugee resettlement landscape changed drastically during the Trump administration due to the slashing admissions and its steady decline, this phenomenological study seeks to understand how Afghan evacuees (men, women, and children) across Michigan adapted to their new lives in Michigan despite their swift resettlement into the U.S. and the precarious state of U.S. resettlement during the Biden Administration.

Methods: Data collection consisted of focus groups (three in total) and in-depth interviews with 60 Afghan evacuee adults (40 men and women) and youth (20 in total) between the ages of 10-18 who resettled in Michigan from August 2021 through August 2023. Focus groups and interviews were conducted at local organizations or via Zoom and lasted no longer than 60 minutes. Verbatim transcripts of all focus groups and interviews were generated, transcribed, and later coded using MAXQDA. A phenomenological hermeneutic (interpretive) approach was used to analyze the data.

Results: First, Afghan evacuees offered commentary on how difficult it was to resettle to the U.S. due to their limited understanding of U.S. culture and norms, limited comprehensive orientations before and after resettlement, and a lack of resources available to them, such as affordable housing, employment, and transportation. Second, Afghan evacuees described increased levels of internalized mental health challenges yet acknowledged a lack of outlets to process their distinct experiences. Third, Afghan evacuees expressed feelings of anxiety with the uncertain nature of their legal status in the United States as a parolee/evacuee, impacting their ability to feel a sense of belonging in their communities and a challenge to develop long-term goals. Finally, Afghan youth described a level of fear that they would have to alter their religious and/or cultural identities within school and community contexts.

Conclusion and Implications: This study anchors the understudied narratives of Afghan evacuees who had to flee Afghanistan and resettle to the U.S. in a swift manner during a hostile political climate. This study also seeks to inform refugee settlement agencies, refugee-led organizations, policymakers, and schools on how to support the distinct needs of Afghan evacuees (and parolees from other countries like Ukraine) who seek to offer better support and resources to these groups who are residing in the U.S. in a precarious legal state.