Tell Congress to Pass the Afghan Adjustment Act

On July 13, the Afghan Adjustment Act (S. 2327 and H.R. 4627) was reintroduced with bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate. If passed, the bill would establish a clear and streamlined path for displaced Afghans to apply for permanent status in the U.S. and expand pathways to protection for Afghans who remain left behind and at risk. 

Since the fall of Kabul in August 2021, millions of Afghans have been displaced, including many who risked their lives in support of the U.S. mission. The U.S. welcomed more than 76,000 Afghan evacuees in 2021 via humanitarian parole, a temporary status with no path to permanent protection.

Many Afghan parolees’ protections are set to expire imminently. In May, the Department of Homeland Security announced a re-parole process, but that process will only provide protections for another two years. While most Afghan parolees are eligible for asylum or Special Immigrant Visas, less than ten percent have secured permanent protections due to long backlogs and processing delays. These application processes are a burden for both the government and the refugees, taking years to complete. Without an adjustment act, thousands of Afghans will be stuck with a temporary status that a future administration may choose not to renew.

There is precedent for this type of “status adjustment.” Congress has approved adjustments of status for people from other countries who were initially admitted to the U.S. with only a temporary status – Cubans in 1967 and again in 1980, Nicaraguans, Guatemalans and Salvadorans (1997), Haitians (1998) and others.

In addition, many more Afghans are still at risk in Afghanistan or nearby countries where the threat of violence remains. The Afghan Adjustment Act also has provisions that would help vulnerable Afghans who were left behind immigrate to the United States.

The 2023 Afghan Adjustment Act is led by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) in the Senate, and Representatives Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) in the House of Representatives. Senate leaders have also submitted the text of the bill as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, a must-pass spending bill.

In contrast, Senator Tom Cotton (R-AK) has introduced a partisan bill called the Ensuring American Security and Protecting Afghan Allies Act (S. 2324).Sen. Cotton’s bill includes some similar provisions but also severely undermines the president’s authority to use humanitarian parole to provide safety to people fleeing crises.

Join us in urging Congress to uphold our nation’s promises to Afghans. Tell your representatives to support the bipartisan Afghan Adjustment Act, to push for its inclusion in the National Defense Authorization Act, and to reject Sen. Cotton’s bill. The Senate is expected to begin voting on amendments to the NDAA this week. Your message could make a big difference for your senators’ votes.