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Afghan refugees Azita Jawady and her husband Hamid Sadra at their home in Austin on May 17, 2023. Jawady, a former social worker and employee at USAID and Sadra, an artist, fled to Texas from danger they faced from their previous jobs in Afghanistan.

Almost two years since Kabul fell, a frayed refugee system creates obstacles for Afghans in Texas

The refugee system in Texas and nationally is still recovering from major cuts under the Trump administration. The latest casualty is Texas’ largest resettlement agency, Refugee Services of Texas.


Afghan refugee Azita Jawady, her husband Hamid Sadra and their son look through wedding photos from Afghanistan at their home in Austin, Texas on May 17, 2023. Jawady, a former social worker and employee at USAID and Sadra, an artist, fled to Texas from danger they faced from their previous jobs in Afghanistan.

A system under stress

An aircrew assigned to the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron prepares to load qualified evacuees aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III in support of Afghanistan evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Afghanistan on Aug. 21, 2021.

Still waiting

Afghan refugee Azita Jawady and her husband Hamid Sadra at their home in Austin, Texas on May 17, 2023. Jawady, a former social worker and employee at USAID and Sadra, an artist, fled to Texas from danger they faced from their previous jobs in Afghanistan.

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