Following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, over 130,000 Afghans were evacuated of whom 44% are children. Tens of thousands of U.S.-affiliated and at-risk Afghans have been welcomed into the United States via “humanitarian parole,” which is a temporary immigration status typically only granted for 1 or 2 years to provide safety for people under threat. It is imperative that Congress passes an Afghan Adjustment Act to provide a roadmap to permanent status for Afghans and ensure they can apply to become lawful permanent residents.
Right now, Congress is negotiating legislation to fund the federal government after March 11th, the date the current funding expires. It is critical that Members of Congress hear loudly and clearly that their constituents want Congress to robustly fund the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) and include an Afghan Adjustment Act in the final legislation.
CONTACT YOUR 2 SENATORS AND 1 REPRESENTATIVE TODAY
Click “Send Email” on the right to be connected to your Members of Congress – and make sure to insert the name of your city or town in the first line!
Sample Email/Script: “I’m your constituent from [CITY/TOWN], and [as a person of faith/refugee], I urge you to provide robust funding for the U.S. resettlement program and to equip my community with the resources it needs to help refugees and Afghan evacuees integrate and thrive. As you negotiate funding the federal government after March 11, the date it’s set to expire, I call on you to demonstrate bold leadership in expanding our nation’s capacity to welcome.
I urge you to pass an Afghan Adjustment Act, legislation that would allow Afghans arriving with humanitarian parole who were evacuated from Afghanistan to have a pathway to permanent status. Creating a pathway to apply to become lawful permanent residents after one year in the U.S. strengthens our communities and supports arrivals’ integration in their new homes. When parolees apply to adjust status, DHS runs additional security and medical checks, completes biometrics yet again, and conducts interviews before approving any applicant. This is urgent, as humanitarian parole is a temporary allowance to enter and remain in the United States.
The United States has resettled more than 70,000 Afghan arrivals who are still being served by our local providers. Communities need support to ensure that our new neighbors have what they need to succeed in their new homes. I further urge to support robust funding for refugee-related accounts, including:
- The Refugee and Entrant Assistance account to fund the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) which helps states and local communities welcome and support refugees on their path to self-sufficiency, and other integration services for the high numbers of Afghans departing safe havens over the next three months.
- The Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance (ERMA) account to address not only our Afghanistan response but also other emerging crises. ERMA investments provide life-sustaining assistance to refugees, including food, shelter, health care, and education.
- The Migration and Refugee Assistance (MRA) and International Disaster Assistance (IDA) accounts, which would support the domestic reception and placement (R&P) program, administered by the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) within the Department of State, as well as overseas humanitarian assistance to respond to the unprecedented displacement crisis.
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) within the Department of Homeland Security to address the refugee and asylum backlogs – and to help process parole renewals and adjustment applications.
My community welcomes refugees and I urge you to do the same.”
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- Thousands of Afghan evacuees have been welcomed into the U.S. under humanitarian parole. We must provide a pathway to allow Afghans to become lawful permanent residents so they can integrate and thrive in their new homes! TAKE ACTION: https://p2a.co/zuph5yh
- My community welcomes refugees, and I’m calling on our lawmakers to support the U.S.’s legacy of welcome! We must increase funding to expand our capacity to welcome & pass the #AfghanAdjustmentAct to provide a pathway to permanent status for our Afghan neighbors.
- The Afghan Adjustment Act would strengthen our communities and support Afghan evacuees as they arrive in their new homes. We must provide a pathway to permanent status for Afghans arriving in the U.S. TAKE ACTION: https://p2a.co/zuph5yh
Additional Resources:
- Afghan Adjustment Act Factsheet (November 2021)
- Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance (ERMA) Backgrounder
- Afghan Adjustment Act Talking Points
- Afghan Adjustment Act Toolkit For State Leaders
- Afghan Adjustment Act Toolkit For Advocates
Thank you for taking action, and please share this alert with your networks!