Afghanistan Peace CampaignAfghanEvac urged Congress to place this issue at the top of its agenda during sessions attended by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
AfghanEvac, in an open letter to the US Congress, has called for the situation of Afghan refugees to be prioritized during this week’s budget hearings.
The letter states that over 212,000 individuals in Afghanistan and tens of thousands more in 75 countries, including Pakistan, are living in uncertain conditions.
AfghanEvac urged Congress to place this issue at the top of its agenda during sessions attended by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
“This week’s hearings with Secretary of State Rubio present a critical moment for Congress to reaffirm its commitment to the tens of thousands of Afghan allies still awaiting resettlement and protection. With more than 212,000 individuals trapped in the pipeline inside Afghanistan and tens of thousands more stranded across 75 countries, the stakes for moral leadership, national security, and American credibility could not be higher,” the letter reads.
Mohammad Muslim Jamal, a migrant rights activist, said: “I believe they may relocate a limited number of individuals by October for their own interests. However, based on their internal laws and priorities, they might give refugees more time to remain in the US.”
Meanwhile, a number of Afghan immigration case holders currently in Pakistan are urging the US to honor its commitments and restart their resettlement process.
An applicant for US immigration said: “We hope that the upcoming US congressional hearings will finally address the concerns and long wait we’ve endured since the program was suspended, and that our cases will be processed soon so we can move forward.”
Mohammad Khan Mohammadzai, another migrant rights activist, said: “The situation of refugees in this country must be addressed in accordance with international and US domestic laws, so the hardships of migrants are reduced.”
This comes as Donald Trump signed an executive order on January 20 to suspend the US refugee program. Now, 120 days later, the future of Afghan refugees remains uncertain.