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News

Timeline: Our Advocacy for Afghan Allies

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Global Refuge Staff

July 8, 2024

In early 2021, Global Refuge began pressing the White House to protect and evacuate our Afghan allies. We joined veterans’ groups and resettlement agencies to form the Evacuate our Allies coalition, and we continue to advocate for the continued evacuation of at-risk Afghans and the integration of Afghans already in the United States.

  • April 14, 2021
    Withdrawal Announcement
    President Biden announces withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, 2021
  • May 12, 2021
    Global Refuge Response
    Global Refuge submits recommendations to provide humanitarian protection for certain Afghans to Biden administration
  • May 21, 2021
    Action alert
    Global Refuge launches our Protect Afghan Allies Action Alert, resulting in over 21,000 messages in support of Afghan allies sent to the White House.
  • June 4, 2021
    NGO Letter
    Global Refuge delivers letter signed by 70 non-governmental organizations to administration, urging evacuation
  • June 8, 2021
    Call to Care: More Than Allies
    Global Refuge hosts webinar: Call to Care: More than Allies.
  • June 24, 2021
    Relocation Announcement
    President Biden announces relocation of allies.
  • June 1, 2021
    Save Our Afghan Allies Rally
    Global Refuge hosts the Save Our Afghan Allies rally with our coalition partners in Washington, D.C.
  • July 8, 2021
    Presidential Remarks
    President Biden delivers remarks on Afghanistan winddown.
  • July 8, 2021
    RCUSA Letter to Administration
    Refugee Council USA submits recommendations to administration.
  • July 14. 2021
    Operation Allies Refuge
    Reports indicate White House launch of Operation Allies Refuge.
  • July 30, 2021
    Afghans Arrive in US
    The first of our Afghan allies arrive at Ft. Lee in Virginia; Congress passes emergency funding bill that includes money for and changes to the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa Program
  • August 15, 2021
    Fall of Kabul
    Kabul falls to the Taliban; U.S. embassy in Kabul closes; evacuation effort broadens.
  • August 30, 2021
    Final Evacuation Flights
    The last Operation Allies Refuge evacuation flights and the U.S. military depart; the operation brings 120,000+ to safety.
  • September 30, 2021
    Passage of Protective Provision
    Congress passes Merkley provision to help ease the transition to the U.S. for recently evacuated Afghan refugees.
  • October 28, 2021
    Letter to National Security Advisor
    Global Refuge joins with 100+ organizations in sending a letter to National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan urging the administration to support further evacuation and humanitarian protections for Afghans in-country.
  • February 15, 2022
    Letter to DHS and USCIS
    Global Refuge and Human Rights First lead and deliver a letter signed by 200 organizations requesting creation of the Afghan Parole Program, a designated parole program for at-risk Afghans.
  • March 1, 2022
    Faith-based Letter to Congress
    Global Refuge co-led a letter to Congress calling for and Afghan Adjustment Act. The letter was signed by more than 250 faith leaders and 100 faith-based organizations.
  • April 20, 2022
    Release of Evacuate Our Allies Report
    Marking the one-year anniversary of President Biden’s announcement of full troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Evacuate Our Allies Coalition releases a recommendations report to the White House and Operation Allies Welcome, the federal government’s Unified Coordination Group.
  • June 3, 2022
    Letter to Secretary Mayorkas and USCIS Director Jaddou
    Global Refuge led and was joined by over 115 organizations in calling on the Biden administration to reinstate vital legal services for Afghans who are eligible for Special Immigrant Visas at Operation Allies Welcome’s National Conference Center. Read the letter.
  • July 25, 2022
    Vital Legal Services Reinstated
    Operation Allies Welcome and USCIS favorably responded to request to reinstate vital legal services for Afghans who are eligible for Special Immigrant Visas at Operation Allies Welcome’s National Conference Center. Read the official response. The first legal clinic was held July 24, 2022.
  • August 10, 2022
    Press Conference for the Afghan Adjustment Act
    Global Refuge co-led a press conference with veteran and Afghan members of the Evacuate Our Allies Coalition, urging Congress to pass the bipartisan Afghan Adjustment Act, which had been introduced in the House and Senate the day before. Learn more about the bill here.
  • August 27, 2022
    Last Legal Services Clinic Held
    Pro bono attorneys, in partnership with Operation Allies Welcome, held the last of four legal services clinics at the National Conference Center for newly arrived Afghans in the end phase of their SIV process. As an outcome of those clinics, 130 Adjustment of Status Applications for Afghan SIVs were prepared and as a result of our advocacy, 177 total applications were accepted by USCIS for processing.
  • September 6-8, 2022
    Co-Host Evacuate Our Allies Advocacy Days
    Following the bipartisan introduction of the Afghan Adjustment Act, Global Refuge co-hosted Advocacy Days urging Congress to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act. During our September fly-in, nearly 500 participants joined us for 80 House and Senate meetings focused on the passage of this critical legislation.
  • March 6, 2023
    SIV Processing Advocacy
    Global Refuge and 45 organizations from the Evacuate Our Allies coalition urged USCIS prioritize the processing of approximately 11,000 adjustment of status applications filed by Afghans evacuees who are currently eligible for lawful permanent residence through the SIV program.
  • May 4, 2023
    LIRS, AAF, and USCRI Call for Re-Designation of TPS
    Global Refuge and over a hundred other EOA coalition members call for immediate re-designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghanistan.
  • June 1, 2023
    DHS Responds to Immediate TPS Re-Designation Request for Afghanistan
    Ur Jaddou, the Director of USCIS, responds on behalf of the Department of Homeland Security, to EOA coalition members on the status of redesignating TPS for Afghanistan.
  • June 20, 2023
    USCIS Responds to Processing Letter
    USCIS responds to Global Refuge and advocates regarding SIV green card processing, indicating it is prioritizing the processing and adjudication of adjustment of status applications filed by Afghan special immigrants.
  • July 14, 2023
    Afghan Adjustment Act Reintroduced
    The Afghan Adjustment Act is reintroduced as a standalone bill in the House and Senate
  • December 1, 2023
    Letter to White House, State Department and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service
    LIRS, HRF, and Amnesty International led and were joined by over 60 organizations in calling on the Biden administration to improve refugee processing for Afghan refugees by increasing capacity, leveraging existing authorities, and implementing changes to speed USRAP processing times. Read the letter.
  • December 4, 2023
    Co-Host Evacuate Our Allies Advocacy Days
    Global Refuge co-hosted Advocacy Days urging Congress to pass Afghan Adjustment in the final National Defense Authorization Act. During our December fly-in, nearly 300 participants joined us for 100 House and Senate meetings focused on the passage of this critical legislation. 

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