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

Afghan refugees Azita Jawady and her husband Hamid Sadra at their home in Austin on May 17. Jawady, a former social worker and employee at USAID and Sadra, an artist, fled Afghanistan after the Taliban took control of the country, fearing that they could be in danger because of their jobs. (Credit: Leila Saidane/The Texas Tribune)

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In the summer of 2021, Azita Jawady and Hamid Sadra were a young, married couple in love, living in Mazar-e Sharif, Afghanistan, and expecting their first child. They felt good about their future and their country. Despite decades of war, Afghanistan seemed to be moving in a positive direction.