Three years have passed since President Joe Biden announced the withdrawal of the remaining 2,500 U.S. troops from Afghanistan, triggering a chaotic exodus of Afghans desperate to escape the Taliban's return to power. Among them were tens of thousands who had worked with the U.S. government over the past two decades as interpreters, drivers, and support staff, qualifying them for Special Immigrant Visas (SIV) to bring their families to the United States.
These individuals, who assisted the U.S., became prime targets for Taliban retribution following the group's takeover of the Afghan government. Despite their eligibility for SIVs, the program has long been plagued by severe backlogs, processing only a few thousand visas annually. The application process is arduous, requiring detailed employment verification by the State Department, which has added to the delays.
In the final six weeks of the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan, over 120,000 people were evacuated. Due to the backlog in the SIV program, many were admitted to the U.S. under special humanitarian parole. This status allows them to live and work in the country temporarily but requires periodic renewal and does not provide a clear path to permanent residency or citizenship.
As of now, a significant number of these Afghan evacuees remain in immigration limbo. The humanitarian parole they received does not integrate them into the established asylum system, which they could not apply for before their evacuation. While Special Immigrant Visa holders can apply for green cards after establishing residency, those on humanitarian parole have no such straightforward route.
According to a letter from Senator Ed Markey, approximately 30% of over 50,000 humanitarian parole applications from Afghans outside the U.S. have been processed, either approved or denied. However, many within the U.S. remain uncertain about their future.
Since the SIV program's inception in 2009, the State Department has issued roughly 117,000 visas, with about one-third granted post-2021 withdrawal. Yet, this does not cover all who need protection.
The proposed Afghan Adjustment Act, introduced in the Senate in August 2022, aims to address this issue. The act would expand the eligibility criteria for SIVs, reducing the number of Afghans forced to seek humanitarian parole. Moreover, it would allow those already in the U.S. on humanitarian parole to apply for legal permanent residency within two years of their arrival, paving the way for eventual citizenship.
As the U.S. government grapples with this crisis, the future of thousands of Afghan allies hangs in the balance, awaiting legislative action to secure their place in their new homeland.
