That’s how long the U.S. military has had a continued presence in Afghanistan. Over those twenty years, we’ve had help from tens of thousands of Afghan allies who have worked closely with U.S. military forces, diplomats and others to protect American values. Currently, as many as 70,000 Afghan allies and their family members may be eligible for humanitarian protection in the United States. 

Take action and urge the Biden administration to protect our Afghan allies. 

Now, as the Biden administration prepares to fully withdraw from the region by September – and possibly as early as July, the safety of our Afghan allies is at risk. Some of these individuals and their families have already received death threats from the Taliban – and their lives will be at far greater risk once the U.S. has fully withdrawn. 

Urge the Biden administration to swiftly devise a plan to evacuate current Afghan SIV applicants, their family members, and allies eligible for humanitarian protection in the U.S.  

Providing protections for these Afghans and their families is consistent with American values, has strong support on both sides of the aisle, and has historical precedent – it's something the U.S. government has done previously when winding down military operations in Vietnam, Iraq, and Kosovo.  

Take action to protect our Afghan allies now!  

An evacuation of Afghan allies will be a complex and difficult enterprise. It will be a multi-departmental operation, involving the cooperation of the Departments of State, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, and Defense. The White House must act swiftly and promptly to stand up an interagency process to carry out this endeavor. 

There’s no time to delay – the Biden administration must act now and urgently devise a plan to evacuate current Afghan SIV applicants, their family members, and other Afghan allies who would be eligible for humanitarian protection in the U.S. to a safe location while their applications are being processed.  

Act now and urge the Biden administration to protect our Afghan allies.  

Abandoning these Afghan allies and their families would be a failure of moral and strategic leadership by the United States. We must protect these allies who served alongside our troops and diplomats. 

Send a message to President Biden and urge him to act now to put a plan in place to protect our Afghan allies! Those who risk their lives to protect American values deserve no less. 

Thank you for all you do for refugees and immigrants across the country,  

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