Following the U.S. military’s withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, more than 76,000 Afghans have entered the U.S. under a special process called “humanitarian parole.” Under humanitarian parole, Afghan evacuees can remain in the U.S. for just two years. When this parolee status expires, they will lose access to employment, health care, and their legal right to reside in the U.S.
Congressional Action Needed
An act has been introduced in both the House and Senate that would provide a pathway to lawful permanent residency for Afghan evacuees. The Afghan Adjustment Act is a bipartisan bill to ensure that Afghans who were relocated from Afghanistan may apply for lasting protection to stay in the U.S. long-term. This adjustment of status would provide Afghans with stability as they continue to rebuild their lives.
The Act is patterned after similar adjustment acts passed following previous U.S. wartime evacuations, including for Cubans after the rise of Castro, Southeast Asians after the withdrawal from Vietnam, and Iraqi Kurds during the rule of Saddam Hussein.
Read more about the Afghan refugee crisis, refugee resettlement in Wisconsin, and what you can do to help here.