Our Impact

For nearly 20 years, Afghan and Iraqi allies served alongside American forces in the most dangerous combat zones, often at grave personal risk. That risk didn't end when the fighting did.

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In 2025, as the U.S. government cut resettlement services, halted government-funded evacuation flights, and closed State Department housing in Islamabad, No One Left Behind stepped into the gap, serving over 4,500 allies, alongside our partners, when no one else would.

None of this work is funded by the government we're holding accountable. It happens because individual donors decide that a promise made in their name should be a promise kept.

• January 20: Executive Order 14169 halted government-funded flights for SIV holders; USRAP suspended.
• April 11: DHS confirmed the termination of Afghan Temporary Protected Status.
• May 20: Afghan Temporary Protected Status (TPS) terminated, resulting in approximately 14,000 Afghans losing status.
• June 4: A U.S. travel ban was imposed on Afghan nationals and SIVs were exempt.
• June 12: The U.S. Mission in Iraq temporarily suspended SIV processing.

• October 31: FY2026 refugee cap is set at 7,500, a historic low. SNAP food assistance ends for newly arrived allies.
• November 28: USCIS halts all aylum decisions indefinitely.
• December 16: The administration announced suspension of Afghan SIV visa issuance, effective January 1, 2026.
• December 31: Afghan SIV Program closes to new applications. Chief of Mission approval deadline passes.

Each of these shifts was an obstacle that NOLB had to pivot around. In a year when nearly every policy door closed, NOLB moved 3,300+ allies to safety in the United States.

Given New Life: How Iowa became home

Arifa had worked as a security officer for CARE, supporting Afghan ally evacuations near Kabul, a role that made her eligible for a Special Immigrant Visa but also made her family a target. They moved between rental homes every few weeks after Kabul fell, never revealing Arifa's work to neighbors. She applied for her visa in 2022 but remained in Afghanistan two additional years, continuing to help evacuate other allies before accepting her own exit.

"No One Left Behind was the one who connected us to a very amazing sponsoring family." - Shahamat

By March 2025, the situation had become untenable. The family fled to Pakistan, where NOLB coordinated their flights and connected them with sponsorship in lowa organized by Jane Patton, a longtime volunteer with immigrant services.

On April 9, 2025, six members of the Zaki family landed in Des Moines after years of hiding.

"When we heard we were going to the United States, it felt like we were given a new life," said Mohammad Sadiq Zaki. Twelve months later, the family has established routines.

Shahamat attends Des Moines Area Community College pursuing electrical engineering. Shojaat is a high school junior who plays soccer for a local team. The family obtained driver's licenses and purchased vehicles through sponsors and the Welcome.US Veteran Sponsor Fund.