Yesterday, the Government announced the immediate closure of the Afghan resettlement schemes, also known as the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) and the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS).

In 2021, in response to the fall of Kabul to the Taliban, and the opening of these pathways for eligible Afghans fleeing persecution, Refugee Legal Support and Safe Passage combined efforts to support people to access these schemes through the Afghan Pro Bono Initiative (APBI), working with the support of leading law firms.

Our response to the news

We knew the Government was working to wind down the resettlement schemes for Afghans but this sudden change will leave too many people stuck in danger with no way out.

The Government has decided to shut down these pathways to safety, despite having only resettled fewer than two thirds of the number of Afghans originally promised.

The Afghan Pro Bono Initiative has helped hundreds of people facing persecution, torture and even death under the Taliban to reach safety in the UK. This includes women and girls, journalists and people fighting for human rights, and those that were in danger from serving the British mission. Whilst these schemes have never been easy for people to access, they were lifesaving for those that were able to.

Without other working pathways to protection in the UK, this will leave Afghans, like those we have been able to help escape, stuck endlessly in hiding, fear and often torn apart from their loved ones.

We urge the Government to fulfil the promise of resettling 20,000 Afghan citizens, help those that worked for the UK’s interests and help families reunite in safety. Safe routes must be available for people fleeing war and persecution, otherwise we will only see more people taking dangerous journeys.