Washington, D.C.—Today, on the eve of the six-month anniversary of the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban, CWS calls on Congress to take immediate action to support refugees by passing the Afghan Adjustment Act. The organization also calls on the Biden administration to ensure Afghans under threat in-country are evacuated as soon as possible. In the past six months, and prior, CWS has advocated about the importance of lasting safety and stability in the successful resettlement of Afghan refugees, and is committed to ensuring a brighter future for them and their children.
“Six months ago, when Kabul fell to the Taliban, thousands of Afghan men, women and children began evacuating from their home country; not because they wanted to, but because they had to. Afghans who served alongside the United States, human rights defenders, journalists and others targeted by the Taliban, reached out to us, knowing that we were their lifeline to a real future,” said Erol Kekic, Senior Vice President of Programs at CWS. “The passage of this legislation is key to welcoming some of our staunchest allies and some of the most vulnerable among us. Congress must pass the Afghan Adjustment Act, and the administration must act to make sure each and every Afghan seeking a life of freedom is evacuated as soon as possible.”
As a result of the United States’ hurried evacuation, the vast majority of Afghan evacuees entered the United States with humanitarian parole, a tenuous, short-term status that does not confer a direct pathway to become lawful permanent residents.
The Afghan Adjustment Act would allow Afghans arriving with humanitarian parole who were evacuated from Afghanistan to have an opportunity to apply to become lawful permanent residents and a pathway to permanent status after one year in the U.S. This is critical to our new neighbors’ integration in their new homes and strengthens our communities.
For more information on the Afghan Adjustment Act or to speak with Kekic, contact cplummer@cwsglobal.org.