A revised travel ban introduced by the Trump administration has crushed the hopes of many Afghans who once worked alongside U.S. forces, leaving them stranded and uncertain about their futures. A recent travel ban issued by the Trump administration, targeting citizens from 12 nations including Afghanistan, has left many in limbo, particularly former Afghan employees of the U.S. military who were promised safe relocation through the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program. The White House claims the ban is meant to protect the United States from "foreign terrorists" and national security threats. But for many in Afghanistan, the move feels like a betrayal. One such person is Zabihullah Jalili. Once risking his life alongside U.S. troops in Afghanistan at the Bagram Airbase, he now remains trapped in rural Kabul with little more than official documents that once symbolized hope. "I'm 36 years old and a resident of Qalai Dana village in Kabul's Qarabagh district. I worked with the Americans from 2008 to 2012," Jalili said. "This is my ID card for the Bagram Airbase. Before hiring us, they conducted blood tests and interviews. Once accepted, we were issued this ID card, which was scanned every time we entered the base." "These are the recommendation and HR letters they gave me, saying they would support me one day," he added. Working alongside American troops was dangerous. "We faced many difficulties and had to go to work secretly. I lived in constant fear and even received warning letters telling me to stop working with the Americans, as they were considered enemies of our religion," said Jalili. He recounted the fate of a friend. "A friend, also named Zabi, worked as a translator with the Americans at Bagram. One night, he was targeted. The Americans admitted him to a military hospital, but he died shortly after being discharged. He left behind young children in grief and poverty. Many others like him lost their lives during that time," said Jalili. Jalili applied for a U.S. Special Immigrant Visa in 2021, but four years later, he is still waiting, with no answers and dwindling hope. "I applied for the SIV program in 2021. It is now 2025. For four years, they’ve been advising us to ‘wait.’ How much longer should we wait?" he said. "We've been left in a state of uncertainty and despair. Many people have even ended their lives by committing suicide." He expressed frustration at Trump's reversal of campaign promises. "Before the election, Trump promised to evacuate all of us by plane. People were hopeful. But once elected, he reversed that promise, leaving everyone disheartened," he said. The legal implications have drawn concern as well. Legal expert Abdul Shokor Dadras called the move a violation of human rights. "This is a violation of their rights. These individuals have been crushed emotionally and economically. Many of them sold all their belongings. They lost their homes, and now they have nothing. The ones who made promises to them are responsible and should be held accountable under human rights laws," said Dadras. Jalili, like many others, continues to face financial hardship and limited options. "Some SIV applicants have turned to drugs. Others tried going to Pakistan but had to return and are now unemployed. Because of financial difficulties, many could not travel to a third country and remain stuck in Afghanistan. We now see the U.S. as dishonest. They did not keep their promises," said Jalili. Despite all, Jalili calls on Afghanistan's current leadership to step up and protect its youth from despair. "The U.S. betrayed us and left, but this government must now provide jobs and protect its youth," he said. For now, however, the future remains uncertain for thousands of Afghans like Jalili, caught between shattered dreams once promised by the U.S. SHOTLIST: Kabul, Afghanistan - Recent (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland) 1. Farmland; 2. SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Zabihullah Jalili, Afghan Special Immigrant Visa applicant (starting with shot 1/partially overlaid with shots 3-7/ending with shot 8): "My name is Zabihullah. I’m 36 years old and a resident of Qalai Dana village in Kabul's Qarabagh district. I worked with the Americans from 2008 to 2012. This is my ID card for the Bagram Airbase. Before hiring us, they conducted blood tests and interviews. Once accepted, we were issued this ID card, which was scanned every time we entered the base. These are the recommendation and HR letters they gave me, saying they would support me one day. We faced many difficulties and had to go to work secretly. I lived in constant fear and even received warning letters telling me to stop working with the Americans, as they were considered enemies of our religion. A friend, also named Zabi, worked as a translator with the Americans at Bagram. One night, he was targeted. The Americans admitted him to a military hospital, but he died shortly after being discharged. He left behind young children in grief and poverty. Many others like him lost their lives during that time. I applied for the SIV program in 2021. It is now 2025. For four years, they’ve been advising us to 'wait.' How much longer should we wait We've been suffering mentally for years. We've been left in a state of uncertainty and despair. Many people have even ended their lives by committing suicide."; [SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 3. Various of Jalili showing his ID card, official documents proving his employment with U.S. military; 4. Various of Jalili watering plants in yard; 5. Words reading:"We worked for years. We are in danger now. What will be our future?"; 6. Jalili during interview; 7. Jalili watering plants; [SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 8. Jalili in yard; 9. Jalili looking at documents; 10. SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Zabihullah Jalili, Afghan Special Immigrant Visa applicant (starting with shot 9/ending with shot 11): "Before the election, Trump promised to evacuate all of us by plane. People were hopeful. But once elected, he reversed that promise, leaving everyone disheartened. We waited, hoping we would eventually be evacuated. But now we've been forced to speak openly. I no longer care what happens to me. I'm ready to face danger or even death. I've been through so many risks already. We are fed up. Therefore, we’re sharing our tragedies with the media."; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 10. Jalili organizing documents; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 11. Jalili riding bike; 12. SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Abdul Shokor Dadras, legal expert (starting with shot 11/partially overlaid with shots 13-14): "This is a violation of their rights. These individuals have been crushed emotionally and economically. Many of them sold all their belongings. They lost their homes, and now they have nothing. The ones who made promises to them are responsible and should be held accountable under human rights laws. This was an emotional and difficult time for Zabihullah, who was working with the Americans. He is hurt. We urge the United States to fulfill its promises immediately and evacuate these individuals."; [SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 13. Various of Jalili sitting with documents in front of him; 14. Jalili talking with his family in yard; [SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 15. Jalili riding bike; 16. Jalili walking in field; 17. SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Zabihullah Jalili, Afghan Special Immigrant Visa applicant (starting with shots 15-16/partially overlaid with shot 18/ending with shot 19): "Some SIV applicants have turned to drugs. Others tried going to Pakistan but had to return and are now unemployed. Because of financial difficulties, many could not travel to a third country and remain stuck in Afghanistan. We now see the U.S. as dishonest. They did not keep their promises. The current Afghan government must take responsibility for the younger generation. Unemployment is rampant. The US betrayed us and left, but this government must now provide jobs and protect its youth."; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 18. Jalili eating food; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 19. Various of Jalili riding away from home on his bike. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]