Afghanistan Peace CampaignAmerican media reported that the proposal, titled the “Enduring Welcome Act”, was introduced in the House of Representatives last week.
Several members of the U.S. Congress and civil society activists have called for the approval of a law that would restart the process of transferring Afghan refugees to the United States.
American media reported that the proposal, titled the “Enduring Welcome Act”, was introduced in the House of Representatives last week.
Under this plan, the State Department would be required to reopen the office of the “Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts”, which was recently shut down.
Scott Peters, a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives, said: “ I hope that the speaker heard that message because we have bipartisan support for the two bills we referred to. We could pass those in September, send them to the President’s desk and get them signed. It’s the kind of thing that should pass with 400 votes out of 435, if we get it to the floor.”
At the same time, an immigration lawyer at the Afghan Family Services organization warned that after the suspension of the Afghan refugee transfer program, thousands of Afghans remain stranded in third countries and do not know when they will be relocated to the United States.
Milan Raufy said: “That pathway has been suspended nationwide under the executive order, halting the travel of Afghans who are already vetted and approved. Thousands remain stranded in third countries with no word on when travel will resume. Late last month, Trump told a reporter he supported former US allies in Afghanistan and plans to keep promises made to them by the government.”
Currently, around 170,000 people in Afghanistan are waiting for U.S. Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs).
Some migration experts stress that the United States must support its Afghan partners.
Alireza Karimi, a migration activist, said: “Delays in the relocation process can put the lives and safety of these individuals and their families at serious risk. Therefore, the United States has a responsibility to accelerate their review and transfer as quickly as possible.”
Mohammad Jamal Muslim, another migration activist, also said: “From sweet promises to U.S. broken commitments, all of this has forced thousands of citizens across various regions to endure very difficult days, including more than 170,000 Afghans still waiting to be relocated to the United States.”
Meanwhile, calls for the transfer of Afghans with pending U.S. immigration cases continue. Previously, President Donald Trump had signed an order banning citizens of 12 countries, including Afghanistan, from entering the United States.