WASHINGTON (AP) – Congress has failed to provide residency for Afghans who served with U.S. forces in America’s longest war, leaving thousands of refugees fleeing the Taliban for more than two years. who passed away and are now living in a civil war. America.
Some lawmakers had hoped to resolve the status of Afghan refugees as part of the government’s end-of-year aid package. However, this attempt failed, which made the issue into the new year, when the Republicans will take power in the parliament. It is a result of uncertainty for refugees who now face an August deadline to take action from Congress before their temporary term expires.
Nearly 76,000 Afghans who have worked with the U.S. military since 2001 as translators, interpreters and partners have arrived in the U.S. on military planes after the country’s withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021. resettlement efforts the largest in the country in many years, with the promise of a way of life in the United States for their service.
Mohammad Behzad Hakkak, 30, is among the Afghans awaiting sentencing, unable to work or live in his new community in Fairfax, Virginia, under his amnesty status. Hakkak served as the US counterpart in Afghanistan as a human rights defender in the now defunct Afghan government.
“We lost everything in Afghanistan” after the Taliban returned to power, he said. “And now, we don’t know about our future here.”
Last year, a group of lawmakers backed by veterans groups and ex-servicemen pushed the country’s parliament to approve the Afghanistan Reform Act, which would prevent Afghans from being held hostage. without a legal residence permit when the two years of the humanitarian permit period have expired. in August 2023. It will allow skilled Afghans to apply for US citizenship, as has been done for refugees in the past, including those from Cuba, Vietnam and Iraq.
Supporters of the proposal thought it could clear the House after the November election because it has strong bipartisan support. But they said their efforts were thwarted by one man: Republican Chuck Grassley of Iowa, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which oversees immigration.
“We’ve never seen support for a bill like this and it hasn’t passed,” said Shawn Van Diver, a former Marine and president of #AfghanEvac, a coalition that supports Afghan resettlement efforts. “It’s disappointing to me that a guy from Iowa could block this.”
Grassley has argued for months that the bill as written overreaches by including more evacuees than those “who have been our colleagues for the past 20 years,” providing a way to stay without and proper identification is not required.
“First of all, the people who help our country should have the full commitment that we made to them,” Grassley told the Associated Press. “There is disagreement on the assessment process. This is a problem and it has not been solved yet.”
Proponents of the law rejected those concerns. More than 30 retired generals, including three former Joint Chiefs of Staff, have written to Congress saying the resolution not only “advances America’s national security interests,” but is also “very important.” The White House also called for this to be approved.
Biden’s press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, said in mid-December that “it is important to take care of our Afghan allies who took care of us.”
The resolution, if passed, would create a system of equalization, with priority given to Afghan nationals who supported the US mission in Afghanistan. The Department of Homeland Security will adjust the status of those who qualify for permanent resident status after undergoing a rigorous screening and vetting process. It will also improve and expand protection mechanisms for those left behind and those at risk in Afghanistan.
“Afghan refugees are a high priority and they have good Republican support, but unfortunately, the Republican leadership has blocked it,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, told reporters recently. . “These are people who sacrificed their lives for our army and our country, and we should reward them like we did in the past.”
Several congressional aides explained their support for the bill by pointing to a seven-page letter, obtained by The Associated Press, that Grassley’s office distributed to all 50 Republican senators in August. The document outlined his issues with the proposal, which sparked months of discussion as the bill’s sponsors tried to address them.
The United States security and military officials have announced strict screening procedures for people who have been evacuated before they arrive in the United States. Those security checks, conducted in Europe and the Middle East, include background checks with biographical information and verification using voice messages, iris scans, palm prints and facial images.
However, Republicans say the vetting process has not failed. They pointed to a September report from the Homeland Security Inspector General that said at least two Afghan parolees in the country “are a threat to national security and the security of local communities.”
As a result, the obligation to conduct direct interviews of all Afghan applicants is written into the bill and the requirements that the relevant agencies have briefed the Congress on the pre-placement screening process.
Despite strengthening the vetting process for months, the bill never made it out of the Judiciary Committee and failed to make it into the $1.7 trillion budget bill approved by the administration. .
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., is one of the leading sponsors of the bill. “If this is what we do when they come to our country, and we don’t have their back,” she said, “what message are we sending to the rest of the world who are with our soldiers, who are protecting them?” Who provides security for their families?”
But Klobuchar and the leader of the Republican Party, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, promised to bring back the bill in the new legislative session that will begin in January.
“This is the right thing to do,” Graham, an Air Force veteran, told the Senate recently. “There is no end that will agree with me.”
He added: “The people who are there with us in the war, who are here in America, they need to stay. This will be their new home.”
Most people in America relate to this idea.
A survey by the Associated Press-NORC, conducted a month after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, found that 72% of respondents considered giving Afghanistan a safe haven from any retaliation by the Taliban. she did it as a necessary job for about 20 years. war.
The United States will continue to contribute to this international humanitarian effort and call on the public to support the humanitarian needs of Afghanistan and continue to support the Afghan people. For the latest information on USAID’s humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan, visit here.
How can I help the refugees from Afghanistan?
Donate to help people who have arrived from Afghanistan See the article : Your turn: Ignoring politics is a luxury we cannot afford.
- Money. Donating money is the easiest way for people to help solve urgent needs when donations are not enough. …
- Items on the wish list. …
- Gift cards. …
- New or gently-used items. …
- Set up houses. …
- Conduct a donation drive. …
- Teaching or mentoring.
Can you sponsor someone from Afghanistan? Americans can help them reintegrate into society so they can do all these things sooner. Creating a Circle of Support involves raising at least five adults in your community and raising $2,275 for each Afghan you want to resettle in your community.
Can I hire an Afghan refugee?
Afghan SIV holders, refugees, and activists are all legally allowed to work in the United States. separately to complete the new lease documents.
How can we help people from Afghanistan?
U.S. Citizens and Legal Permanent Residents in Afghanistan Now U. See the article : ARCH ENEMY’S ALISSA WHITE-GLUZ: Keeping A Vegan And Straight-Edged Lifestyle On Tour Is ‘Super Easy’.S. citizens seeking assistance in leaving Afghanistan should use this link: Seeking Repatriation Assistance or in an emergency, call 1-888-407- 4747 (USA and Canada) or 1-202-501-4444 (international).
What is the best solution for refugees?
They may include voluntary repatriation, resettlement and reunification. Your support helps us to create a safer, more peaceful world for those who need it most. On the same subject : (PHOTOS) Assembly Member Jim Wood Takes a Whirlwind Tour through Humboldt’s Arts Community. Voluntary return may be one solution for refugees who decide to return home.
What is the common sustainable solution for refugees? Voluntary repatriation shall be understood as free and voluntary return to the country of origin in safety and dignity. It is the solution for most refugees.
How was the problem of refugees solved?
The problems of refugees can be solved in only three ways: – by voluntary repatriation, by resettlement abroad and by integration either in the country where they currently live or by integration. and moving to Europe.
Do refugees get housing benefit?
Special programs for asylum seekers You cannot get an international loan or housing benefit to pay your rent. You can apply directly to a housing association or for private accommodation, but in England where immigration is registered you will not have the right to rent and landlords will not be able to accept you as a tenant.
How do refugees find housing? government housing agencies. Community cohesion agencies, diaspora and refugee support services and non-governmental organizations. In many countries, these agencies provide housing advice, counseling and support and may be involved in providing housing support to people with special needs.
What are the benefits of being a refugee?
If your application is approved, you can travel to the United States and enter the country legally. Also, with refugee status, you can: work legally in the U.S;1 and. apply for lawful permanent residence (green card) after one year of being in the United States as a refugee
Do asylum seekers get free housing in the UK?
They can choose where to live, but must pay rent or apply for government assistance – just like any other British citizen. (But without the family ties or support that most of us take for granted.) A refugee is assessed against the same standards as other British citizens.
What is the easiest Green Card to get?
Green Card through the Green Card Lottery Because of the high requirements in other types of Green Cards such as work-based, family, marriage, and investment Green Cards, the path through the Green Card Lottery is, for most people, not only the easiest not but often the only way to life in America.
Who is more likely to get a green card? Every year, the US government issues more than one million green cards. Most are given to family members of US citizens and current green card holders, followed by workers from other countries looking to work in the US as the next largest group of recipients.
What is the fastest time to get a green card?
A family member can also expedite the process by filing an I-130 and I-485 adjustment of status application at the same time, as long as the beneficiary is among the U.S. Applicants who do this usually get their green cards in 6. to 12 months.
