“Fulfilling America’s Promise:” Paths to Safety for At-Risk Afghans

WASHINGTON — Concurrent with two days of virtual advocacy in Congress for the Afghan Adjustment Act and the continued evacuation of at-risk Afghans, Human Rights First, International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), and InterAction today issued a report that recommends ways for the Biden administration to bring vulnerable Afghans to the United States from Afghanistan and third countries.

“Over the next few days, more than 700 citizen-activists from all across America are calling on Congress to join us in pressuring the Biden administration to bring Afghans to the relative safety of the United States,” said Jennifer Quigley, senior director for government affairs at Human Rights First. “This powerful outpouring of support for Afghans speaks to the importance of welcoming them to this country with respect. This report lays out initial steps to do just that.”

“Fulfilling America’s Promise: Options to Make U.S. Humanitarian Protection Pathways Viable for At-Risk Afghans,” outlines how the administration can bring these at-risk Afghans to safety.

For Afghans in Afghanistan, the United States should remotely screen for their eligibility for immigration pathways to the relocate here; work with international organizations in Afghanistan to meet in-person with eligible Afghans; then issue consular appointments in third countries which, with the assistance of the United States, can clear the path for Afghans to enter a third country.

For Afghans in third countries, the administration should speed their transit to overseas U.S. facilities to continue their processing and expedite their access to the United States through programs like the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program, and humanitarian parole.