'It is time for you to leave the United States': Thousands of Bay Area Afghans get letter from DHS

FREMONT, Calif. (KGO) -- Over the past few weeks, thousands of Bay Area Afghan parolees received a letters from the Department of Homeland Security, warning them to leave in seven days.

The letter states: "It is time for you to leave the United States. Don't attempt to remain in the United States. The federal government will find you. Please depart the United States immediately."

"The fear and the emotions were really raw for a lot of people who did not go outside, did not go grocery shopping, did not do their normal activities for fear of being picked up by ICE," said immigration attorney Spojmie Nasiri, who has clients who got the letter.

In 2021, President Biden directed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to allow some Afghans, who have been vetted, to legally come to the United States on temporary legal status. Most of them supported the U.S. military operations during the two decades-long war in Afghanistan. The fear is, if sent back, they could face persecution by the current Afghan government.

The letter also states the parolees can no longer work legally in the U.S. Although, there are no reports of related deportations.

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"The fact these notices went out same days we welcomed these Afrikaners from South Africa is so egregious. And really to me, is a scare tactic to have these refugees, which might I add, have been vetted by our government, to have them self deport, is literally done to create chaos," said Harris Mojadedi a longtime community activist.

Mojadedi estimates there are several thousand Afghan parolees living in the Bay Area. Those he knows personally tell him they are scared to send their kids to school or go to the doctor.

"These are folks, who, again, did put America first in supporting our armed service members, and our mission in Afghanistan. Right now, they are terrified. They don't know what to do or who to believe," Mojadedi said.

"We see that the thread line between a lot of these deportations or fear of deportation, is highly racialized," said Dr. Jennifer Tran, professor of Ethnic Studies at Cal State East Bay.

Tran said this is not new. This has happened throughout U.S. history with other parolees, such as with those from Vietnam. She sees it as another example of the Trump administration side-stepping legal protections and precedents.

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"I think that as long as we are only focused on singular communities, rather than seeing them as interconnected, than this will continue to happen under our radar," Tran said.

In a statement to ABC7 News, California State Senator Aisha Wahab, the first Afghan elected to the state senate, wrote: "Afghanistan remains deeply unsafe, with a growing humanitarian crisis, widespread human rights violations, and an especially hostile environment for women -- who are denied education, banned from working, and erased from public life. Many Afghans protected under TPS supported U.S. Armed Forces in Afghanistan. We made a promise to stand by them, and we must honor that promise."

Nasiri said another concern is the letters do not identity people individually, such by name or any kind of case number. And a small number received notices of retraction. She said that only creates more confusion about parolees' current legal status.

"The incompetency speaks for itself, that we are the United States government, and we are sending these notices. And, we are sending a few follows up, saying this was a mistake," Nasiri said.

Afghan parolees are not the only group who got the letter. It was sent to other immigrant communities, as well, including some green card holders and even some U.S. citizens, says Nasiri.

The Department of Homeland Security did not return a request for comment.