Bipartisan Efforts to Assist Afghan Humanitarian Parolees

By USCRI September 7, 2021

USCRI commends Congressmen Seth Moulton (D-MA) and Don Bacon (R-NE) for proposing essential, bipartisan legislation that would provide necessary assistance to Afghan refugees arriving under “humanitarian parole” following the fall of the elected Afghan government and the Taliban takeover of the country.

The current parole designation for Afghans arriving to safety in the U.S. allows beneficiaries to stay and apply for temporary work authorization in the U.S., but it does not provide a direct pathway to permanent residency nor access to certain federal programs designed to help refugees integrate into communities.

The Welcoming Evacuees Coming from Overseas to Mitigate Effects of Displacement Act of 2021, known as the WELCOMED Act, would provide congressional authorization to ensure all Afghan parolees have access to the same resettlement services as refugees who are resettled through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) or holders of Special Immigrant Visas. Resettlement services include refugee medical assistance, English-language classes, housing assistance, job training, and helping children enroll in school.

We applaud Congressmen Moulton and Bacon for taking this crucial first step toward ensuring all Afghan evacuees are given adequate resources to establish stable and dignified lives in the United States.


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