US President Joe Biden has approved a $100 million grant to address urgent needs of Afghan refugees, victims of war, and individuals at risk across Afghanistan including those pending on the waiting list of Special Immigration Visas, known as SIV.
A statement published by the White House on Friday, July 23, said Mr. Biden approved a grant which will be paid by the US Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund.
“The aid could be provided on a bilateral or multilateral basis including through contributions to international organizations and through funding to other nongovernmental organizations, governments, and United States departments and agencies,” the statement added.
President Biden also instructed the State Department to allocate $200 million from other agencies to help refugees, war victims, and others at risk.
This is while the US is set to begin the transfer of the first group of Afghan translators and employees who served the US mission in Afghanistan. It is reported that a group of 2,500 people including Afghan colleagues working with the US forces to the US along with their families.
26,500 special visas have reportedly been issued to local US military personnel.
Last Thursday, the US House of Representatives passed a bill that would allow more applicants eligible for special US immigrant visa though 8,000 Afghans are waiting for their ISVs to be processed.
