WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES – US Senator Jeanne Shaheen has expressed concerns about the fate of Afghans who helped the US in its two-decade war in Afghanistan, saying that they are at “grave risk” in the Taliban controlled Afghanistan.
In a statement on social media on Thursday, March 14, the US Senator emphasized the necessity for the US to help its Afghan allies and uphold its promises made to them, particularly as the regime in Afghanistan continues to hunt for them.
“For two decades, the U.S. military mission in Afghanistan relied on trusted Afghan allies who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with American troops. We promised to protect them—just as they did for us,” she said.
“But now, they are at grave risk as the Taliban continue to hunt for them.”
The concerns of the US senator come at a time when earlier this month, Reuters reported that the US government’s Special Immigration Visa (SIV) initiative, aimed at resettling Afghans who worked with the US government during its two decades of war in Afghanistan, may cease later this year.
The report highlighted that the US government will meet the Congress-authorized cap of 38,500 visas in a few months, around August. It appears unlikely that the Congress will approve the Biden administration’s request for an additional 20,000 visas.
Senator Shaheen affirms her determination to continue fighting to ensure that those visas are included in the final package.
“That’s why I secured an additional 20,000 SIVs in the bipartisan Senate appropriations bill that passed the full committee and I’ll continue fighting to get those visas included in the final package.”
Since the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban takeover in August 2021, thousands of Afghan citizens, mostly those who worked with the US government, are now in limbo. They are unemployed, fearing retaliation from the Taliban, and awaiting US visas.
A report by the Associated Press (AP) last year disclosed that there were around 150,000 applicants for the SIV visa, not including their family members. At that time, AP estimated that processing all these applications would require 31 years.
The report indicates that there are 27,400 applicants who have applied for P1 and P2 refugee protection status. Since the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan, the US State Department has processed only 6,862 of these applications.
In its report last year, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) criticized the array of resettlement programs set up for Afghan citizens.
“Bureaucratic dysfunction and understaffing have undermined the US promise that these individuals would be protected in a timely manner, putting many thousands of Afghan allies at risk,” the SIGAR report said.
SIGAR also criticized the lack of transparency surrounding the refugee programs, which it said has left citizens of Afghanistan considering whether to leave their country to await processing without the “critical information” they need for such a crucial decision.
