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If you want a good window into the long-term uncertainty for resettled Afghans, look — or listen — no further than Lauren DeLaunay Miller’s piece on NPR’s Weekend Edition. She relates the impermanence of humanitarian parole by relating the story of Mina Bakhshi, who was planning to attend university in Afghanistan when the Taliban took power two years ago. Seeing no future for herself there, she made it to the U.S., where now she waits. But what is parole? DeLaunay Miller shares that its roots date to the Cold War, when President Eisenhower employed it to resettle Hungarians on an emergency basis. It has since been used for Cuban and Vietnamese evacuees. For Bakhshi, meanwhile, the stalled Afghan Adjustment Act means continuing limbo: "It's hard to live a life temporarily, and now I have no control over my life," she said. "It's other people in high positions deciding for my life." In an op-ed for The Hill, Jackie Munn and Joseph L. Votel urge Congress to pass the bill. They reflect on the 40 Afghan women who were part of the Female Tactical Platoon and whose lives will be in danger if they had to return to Afghanistan. In addition to strong bipartisan co-sponsorship in Congress, the Afghan Adjustment Act has broad support across the country. In an op-ed for The Christian Post, Evangelical Immigration Table coordinator Matthew Soerens highlights support for bill’s principles among 75% of white evangelical voters, according to our poll this month with World Relief, More in Common US and The Bullfinch Group. Welcome to Monday’s edition of The Forum Daily. I’m Dan Gordon, the Forum’s strategic communications VP, and the great Forum Daily team also includes Clara Villatoro, Ashling Lee and Jillian Clark. If you have a story to share from your own community, please send it to me at [email protected]. ‘ECONOMIC EMERGENCY’ — Business leaders across the country continue to push for immigration reforms to address labor shortages, Caitlin Sievers of the Arizona Mirror writes. "It’s an economic emergency," said Donnie Gibson of the Southern Nevada Home Builders Association. "That’s a great argument for employing a motivated immigrant population." Separately, Rick Karlin of the Times Union in Albany, N.Y., reports on experts’ hopes that newly arrived immigrants can find work and start businesses — and how expedited work permits would help. PAROLE PROGRAM — On Friday, U.S. District Judge Drew Tipton questioned whether living in poverty would be enough to qualify for the Biden administration’s parole program for a limited number of Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans, reports Juan A. Lozano of the Associated Press. Government lawyers and immigrant rights groups argued that migrants from these countries are fleeing "oppressive regimes, escalating violence and worsening political conditions that have endangered their lives." Separately, Britain Eakin of Law360 analyzes the trial’s potential significant ramifications, including more border crossings and an economic impact. SPACEX SUED — The Justice Department filed a lawsuit on Thursday accusing SpaceX of violating the Immigration and Nationality Act by discouraging refugees and asylum recipients from applying for job openings, reports Ayana Archie of NPR. The DOJ argues that between 2018 and 2022, SpaceX hired about 10,000 people, including one asylee and zero refugees. COULDA BEEN WORSE — In an op-ed for The xxxxxx, Linda Chavez writes that for one debate, at least, Republican candidates’ animus seemed directed more at Mexican drug cartels than at immigrants. "Despite the phony numbers bandied about and the boneheaded, immoral plans for invading our neighbor, the immigration talk during this debate lacked the vitriol that characterized the Trump campaign in 2016," Chavez
writes. P.S. If you are in D.C., don’t miss Rola Zaarour’s comedy show at the Kennedy Center. A former refugee, Zaarour uses humor to address challenging topics including war, relationships and mental health, Héctor Alejandro Arzate of WAMU reports.
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