John,
Last August – nearly a year after Kabul fell to the Taliban – the House and Senate introduced the Afghan Adjustment Act (AAA), a bill that would have given tens of thousands of Afghans already in the United States a clear pathway to permanent residence while expanding upon ongoing efforts to protect Afghans allies left behind. Congress adjourned last December without acting on this crucial piece of legislation. However, in this new 118th Congress, we anticipate the AAA’s Democratic and Republican co-sponsors in the House and Senate reintroducing the bill in the coming weeks or months.
That’s why today, we’re holding a day of
action to mobilize supporters like you to urge Congress to reintroduce and support this bill. Here are three things you can do today to call on Congress to act:
1. EMAIL: Send your Senators an email urging them to cosponsor and support the Afghan Adjustment Act.
2. CALL: Call your Senators and ask them to grant Afghan evacuees a clear pathway to permanent residence by passing the Afghan Adjustment Act. Dial 202-224-3121 and a switchboard operator will help connect you directly to your Senators.
3. GET SOCIAL: Post on social media to share why you support the Afghan Adjustment Act and urge your friends to join you.
After fleeing violence and persecution – often because of their brave work in service of U.S. interests – Afghan evacuees deserve to live their lives in stability and safety, without the fears, limitations, and uncertainty that temporary immigration status entails.
In the wake of the evacuation, many evacuees have sought to build new lives in the U.S by sending their children to American schools, enrolling in English language classes, and adjusting to new jobs as valued members of our nation’s workforce. However, their
lives remain plagued with uncertainty. Many Afghan evacuees are only granted temporary permission to remain in the U.S. for two years, although the administration is likely to find ways to temporarily extend their stays. That said, without any clear path to permanent residency, Afghan evacuees are forced to live in legal limbo – unsure whether they have a future in the U.S. Congress can resolve this issue by passing the AAA and providing them needed certainty.
Take action and tell your members of Congress to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act now.
While thousands of evacuees are living in a state of uncertainty, many
other vulnerable Afghans are still in Afghanistan or other countries in which they do not have adequate protections, leaving their lives in danger. The AAA also includes provisions aimed at helping those left behind. While advocates, resettlement organizations, U.S. military veterans, and communities are working together to support people impacted by Taliban violence, backlogged and inefficient systems pose a serious barrier to the long-term stability that Afghan evacuees need. Our Afghan allies deserve protection from persecution and violence. The AAA would expand access to Special Immigrant Visas for Afghans and improve coordination of ongoing evacuation efforts.
Act now: Tell your members Congress that our Afghan allies are counting on them to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act.
The time is ripe for action – Congress must act to protect our Afghan allies. We cannot afford to wait longer to provide them with the stability and security they deserve.
Thank you for all you do to support our Afghan allies.
Sincerely,
Laurence Benenson
Vice President of Policy & Advocacy
National Immigration Forum
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