FILE - Afghan refugees hold placards during a gathering in Islamabad, Pakistan, July 21, 2023. Senators from both parties are urging congressional leaders to ensure that more visas are made available to Afghans who worked alongside U.S. troops in America's longest war. The senators say an additional 20,000 visas are needed before the end of the fiscal year in September. before a crucial pathway to safety in the United States abruptly closes.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller also called on Congress last week to increase the visa cap, saying that it would allow the U.S. to “meet our obligation to those Afghans who put their lives on the line for the United States, make sure that they are not forgotten.” While the program has existed since 2009, the number of applicants skyrocketed after the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021. With the Taliban now back in power, advocates say Afghans who helped the U.S. are often living in hiding and facing torture and death if they’re found.
It's up to Congress to set the cap on the number of visas available under the program. But when that cap is reached, Congress has had to go back periodically to increase the number of visas available. Advocates have previously complained about the slow pace of processing visas, but in recent months the numbers have been climbing and could hit 1,000 this month after the State Department streamlined the process for considering applications. The improvements have resulted in Afghans who helped the U.S. reaching safe harbor more quickly.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: AP - 🏆 728. / 51 Read more »
Source: mining - 🏆 449. / 53 Read more »
Source: ScienceAlert - 🏆 63. / 68 Read more »
Source: CoinDesk - 🏆 291. / 63 Read more »
Source: CoinDesk - 🏆 291. / 63 Read more »