John,

This month marks three years since Kabul fell to Taliban rule; marking an end to the twenty years of U.S. military presence in Afghanistan – and the start of an evacuee and refugee crisis that has yet to see a resolution.

After the fall of Kabul, the U.S. military evacuated 124,000 people from Afghanistan, many of whom were Afghan. As an interim solution, Afghan evacuees were granted humanitarian parole that would only be temporary. Three years, and Afghans still have no permanent solution.

A large majority of Americans are in support of helping the thousands of Afghan allies, refugees, parolees, and their families by passing legislation to grant them permanent protection. But Congress has yet to act.

Afghan evacuees deserve stability – Urge Congress to pass Afghan Adjustment legislation.

Over the last three years, Afghan evacuees have become an important part of communities sprawling across America – but they face innumerable challenges while living in limbo. One of these struggles is finding quality affordable housing. Shila experienced this firsthand, as she grapples with protecting her 4-year-old nephew from repeated apartment floods and nails sticking out of the floor. "I can’t live like this all day in the middle of water. I’m sick and I have an innocent child with me. Believe me, I haven’t slept for a week," Shila says referring to the apartment a resettlement agency placed her in after the evacuation.

To lead safe and healthy lives, Afghan evacuees, like Shila, need permanent pathways for residency. This way, instead of relying on resettlement offices for their necessities, Afghan refugees can avoid lengthy delays in work authorization, widen their opportunities for quality housing, and no longer fear returning to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

Tell Congress to swiftly pass Afghan Adjustment legislation.

Afghan adjustment legislation would give tens of thousands of Afghan allies in the U.S. a clear pathway to permanent residence, making good on our promises to provide Afghan allies, and their families permanency and stability.

These parolees are fleeing violence and persecution and deserve an opportunity to rebuild their lives in safety and stability – without the fears, limitations, and uncertainty associated with temporary immigration status. With an asylum and Special Immigrant Visa backlog that can stretch for years, and limited options for those who may not qualify, Congress must act to resolve the long-term status of Afghan evacuees and provide them a pathway to lawful permanent residence.

Add your name right now to send a message to Congress to urgently pass Afghan Adjustment legislation.

Thank you for all you do for Afghan evacuees,

Dan Kosten
Assistant Vice President of Policy & Advocacy
National Immigration Forum