Since July 2021, more than 70,000 at-risk Afghans have been relocated to the United States and have entered on what is called, “humanitarian parole”  - allowing them to temporarily stay and work in the  U.S. for up to two years. Despite fleeing from the Taliban, there is currently no direct pathway for lawful permanent residency and stability in the U.S. for most of our new Afghan neighbors.  Without an adjustment act that creates this path, most Afghans would be forced to navigate the complex and paperwork-intensive asylum process.  Access to qualified and affordable legal representation, loss of critical documentation and required evidence during the hurried evacuation, the impact of trauma, and backlogs in processing create significant barriers that make the immigration process seem insurmountable.   

The only viable pathway to protection for Afghans is the passage of the recently introduced Afghan Adjustment Act (AAA) which would provide our new Afghan neighbors with access to a more streamlined and efficient lawful permanent residency process. 

This legislation echoes adjustment acts that Congress historically passed for every other generation of U.S. wartime evacuees. 

To ensure that Afghans find real, lasting safety in the U.S., Congress must pass the Afghan Adjustment Act, which would help to fulfill our promise of protection for our allies and new neighbors.