Two families from Afghanistan are the first to gain asylum status through the work of our Immigration Legal Services team. Asylum status assures their right to remain in the United States.

We want to share their stories but cannot share their names  because of the danger still posed by the Taliban to them and their families still in Afghanistan.

Family A’s father converted to Christianity about 15 years ago and later became a pastor. Because of his religion, and the fact that converting from Islam is considered apostasy, punishable by law in Afghanistan, and a reason for execution by the Taliban, he feared he and his family would be persecuted and killed so he, his wife, and children were evacuated to the United States on October 22, 2021, and resettled in Louisville on November 8, 2021.  ILS (Zoila) filed their asylum application in mid-December, they traveled to Chicago for interview in late January, and on May 16, the family was granted asylum, securing the right to remain in the United States.

Family B owned a restaurant that offered live music performances and permitted men and women to eat together. Because of these practices, the Taliban closed the restaurant. The restaurant owner was evacuated to the United States in September 2021, and resettled in Louisville in January 2022. Since his departure, the Taliban has been asking about his whereabouts, and he fears returning to Afghanistan because he is progressive and will be accused of having Western ideas – he was even asked about his hairstyle and clothing choices at his asylum interview! ILS (Rebecca) filed his asylum application in early March, he traveled to Chicago for interview in mid-April, and on May 12, he was granted asylum, securing the right to remain in the United States.

Thank you, ILS team, for the work you do. You are changing lives and we could not be more grateful and, frankly, impressed. And proud.