A year ago, Pasarly fled his homeland, fearing he might be killed as the Taliban seized power. Pasarly, 32, had worked with the U.S.-allied government in Afghanistan before it was ousted, and some of his friends were killed.
His wife and their children remain in hiding. But he has since settled into a studio apartment in Chicago. Still, his immigration status remains murky. He was temporarily allowed into the United States, given humanitarian parole. And he has applied for a special immigrant visa and asylum, which could provide a pathway to permanently remain in the country.
Still, Pasarly says, “This is mental torture to us. Mental torture that we are facing an unclear future.”
chicago.suntimes.com
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His wife and their children remain in hiding. But he has since settled into a studio apartment in Chicago. Still, his immigration status remains murky. He was temporarily allowed into the United States, given humanitarian parole. And he has applied for a special immigrant visa and asylum, which could provide a pathway to permanently remain in the country.
Still, Pasarly says, “This is mental torture to us. Mental torture that we are facing an unclear future.”
‘Mental torture for us’: A year after fleeing Afghanistan, refugees in Chicago anguish over unclear future
Since last August, about 2,500 Afghans have resettled in Illinois. Many face huge hurdles in finding jobs, difficulty resolving their immigration status and uncertainty that some fear will have a long-term impact on their health.
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