YWCA Tulsa commends the bipartisan introduction of the Afghan Adjustment Act in Congress and urges for a swift passage of the Act. Afghans who were evacuated after the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan, and who have resettled in the United States since July 2021 were granted a two year temporary immigration status known as parole.

Currently, Afghans in the United States generally only have two main processes to apply for permanent immigration status in the United States.  One possibility is lawful permanent residence through Special Immigrant Visa for individuals who worked with the US mission in Afghanistan.  The other is to apply for the arduous and unpredictable asylum process.

If passed, the Afghan Adjustment Act would provide all Afghan evacuees with a pathway to lawful permanent residence after additional vetting.

Congress has passed similar protections following the U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam and U.S. military actions in Iraq. The Afghan Adjustment Act will offer a clear pathway for Afghans to apply for lawful permanent status and easing the strain on our already overtaxed immigration system.

You can read the full bill text here.