Washington, D.C.—CWS today expressed its frustration and disappointment over the text of the 2023 Omnibus appropriations bill insofar as it excludes the Afghan Adjustment Act, legislation that would provide a vital lifeline to Afghans who have been relocated to the United States to have a permanent pathway to protection. The organization calls on all Members of Congress to prioritize passing this vital bill as a floor amendment to the Omnibus and ensure it becomes law.
“The decision to exclude the bipartisan Afghan Adjustment Act from the Omnibus is disheartening and disturbing. America must keep its promises to vulnerable Afghans whom the United States evacuated and resettled here. Failure to do so is a moral injury and violation of our obligations to those we pledged to protect,” said Meredith Owen, Director of Policy and Advocacy for CWS. “Afghans who sought refuge in the United States faced tremendous change and instability over the past year; they courageously invested in their new homes and in our communities as they resettled. It’s not too late for Congress to make this right and correct this exclusion. We call on congressional leaders to show their support for our Afghan neighbors, and for the American values of welcome and compassion, by introducing the Afghan Adjustment Act on the Senate floor and passing it as an amendment to the Omnibus bill. We must keep fighting to support our Afghan neighbors”
The Afghan Adjustment Act is a bipartisan and bicameral piece of legislation that aims to allow Afghans who fled the Taliban and were relocated to the United States to apply to become lawful permanent residents. Many resettled Afghans served alongside American forces and U.S. humanitarian organizations before having to evacuate. The inclusion of the AAA would not only be a welcome source of stability and certainty for vulnerable Afghans the U.S. government relocated, but also a major step in the fulfillment of America’s long overdue promise to protect our Afghan allies.
For more information or to speak with Owen, contact media@cwsglobal.org.