Special visa program for US-affiliated Afghans faces demise

According to a report by Reuters, a program that relocates Afghans to the United States, specifically those who worked with the U.S. government, may come to a halt later this year. This could leave tens of thousands of individuals vulnerable to retribution from the Taliban after the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan in 2021.

The authorized limit for Special Immigration Visas (SIVs), which provide a pathway to U.S. citizenship, is set at 38,500. It is expected to be reached around the anniversary of the withdrawal in August, and it appears unlikely that the divided U.S. Congress will approve the Biden administration’s request for an additional 20,000 visas.

A State Department official mentioned, “Once we run out of the 8,000 visas that are still available, we’re done.” This would mean that over 10,000 applicants and their families, who have been cleared for final vetting and interviews outside of Afghanistan, will be unable to start their new lives in the U.S.

In addition, there are tens of thousands of other Afghan applications awaiting processing, potentially leading to a significant backlog.

Congressman Jason Crow, a Democrat and Army veteran who served in Afghanistan, expressed concern that the failure to raise the SIV cap would be a “moral tragic travesty and national security failure.” He is leading efforts in the House of Representatives to raise the limit.

Former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies have fueled a backlash, and there are reports from the United Nations indicating that the Taliban have targeted and mistreated hundreds of former government officials and soldiers since taking over Kabul. The Taliban deny these allegations.

While the Biden administration proposed an increase in SIVs, the proposal is caught up in disagreements over funding the government through September, with no resolution in sight.

Shawn VanDiver, president of #AfghanEvac, noted that even adding 20,000 more visas would not be sufficient to address the backlog. A State Department report from September indicated that around 130,000 applications were pending, excluding the applicants’ families.

Representative Brad Wenstrup, a Republican and Iraq War veteran, emphasized the obligation to assist the tens of thousands of Afghans who supported the U.S. during the conflict. He co-sponsored a bill with Crow to increase the SIV cap and extend the program through 2029.

Since 2014, Congress has consistently extended the program and raised the cap nearly every year. However, processing of applications slowed significantly during the Trump administration, leading to a substantial backlog.

While SIV processing has improved under the Biden administration, with over 39,100 visas issued between September 2021 and last month, there are concerns about meeting the mandated nine-month processing rate for applications.

Advocates like Adam Bates from the International Refugee Assistance Project have highlighted the urgency of addressing the situation, emphasizing that it would be unacceptable for these individuals to be caught in political disputes.

It remains to be seen how Congress will address the impending deadline and the fate of thousands of Afghans seeking safety in the United States.

(Reporting by Jonathan Landay; Editing by Don Durfee and Deepa Babington)