U.S COMMITTEE FOR REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS
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USCRI Responds to Congress’ Failure to Vote on Afghan Adjustment Act

By December 22, 2022

The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) is dismayed the Afghan Adjustment Act (AAA) did not receive a vote in the omnibus spending package before Congress this week. This end-of-the-year vote in the U.S. Senate was an excellent opportunity to ensure lasting protections for tens of thousands of Afghan parolees.

Today, leadership in the United States Senate of both parties let down tens of thousands of Afghans who served our country honorably. This is an epic and unacceptable abdication of the United States’ responsibilities to our Afghan allies.

The provisions of the AAA remain timely and necessary. Without a pathway to become lawful permanent residents through an adjustment of status process, many Afghans face uncertainty about their future in the United States when their parole period ends next year. Other avenues for permanent status, such as asylum and the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program, remain backlogged and fraught with other problems. By failing to act now, this Congress ignored a bipartisan framework for helping Afghans now in the United States and those that were left behind.

USCRI and its network will continue to serve Afghan newcomers with access to important benefits, legal representation, and other assistance. With its Evacuate Our Allies coalition partners, USCRI will continue its administrative and legislative advocacy to ensure Afghans receive access to lasting protections to live and work freely in the United States in safety and dignity. The bipartisan solutions contained in the Afghan Adjustment Act remain alive—and we will continue to advocate for Afghan newcomers in spite of the indifference and hostility of some in Congress.

USCRI, founded in 1911, is a non-governmental, not-for-profit international organization committed to working on behalf of refugees and immigrants and their transition to a dignified life.

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