World Relief Praises Bipartisan Introduction of the Afghan Adjustment Act in Congress, Urges Swift Congressional Passage and Support by the President

August 9, 2022

CONTACT:
Audrey Garden
audrey.garden@pinkston.co
571-405-1606

BALTIMORE — Today, World Relief praises the bipartisan introduction of an Afghan Adjustment Act in both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House and urges swift congressional passage of the bill.

Over 70,000 Afghans were evacuated to the U.S. in the weeks following the fall of Kabul one year ago this month. The need to continue to support their full integration is not finished, as most remain in legal limbo, with parole and work authorization that bear an expiration date. These individuals include translators who helped U.S. troops, women’s rights activists, religious minorities and others who were fleeing violence and persecution and were resettled in communities across the United States.

The Afghan Adjustment Act would allow Afghans with parole to apply for Lawful Permanent Resident status without needing to rely upon woefully backlogged legal processes to apply for asylum or Special Immigrant Visas. 

“Over the past year, World Relief has had the privilege of resettling approximately 4,000 Afghans who fled Taliban persecution and have been welcomed by communities throughout the United States,” said Myal Greene, president and CEO of World Relief. “During the same time period, we’ve welcomed roughly 3,000 refugees from other countries of origin – but whereas those formally resettled as refugees are able to apply for permanent resident status one year after arrival, the overwhelming majority of these Afghans lack the certainty that they need to fully thrive in their new home.”

“Americans have shown unprecedented hospitality in welcoming thousands of new Afghan neighbors,” Greene continued. “Swiftly passing the Afghan Adjustment Act will help ensure we treat Afghans as well as we treat other refugees. We urge Congress to act immediately to pass it into law and listen to the voices of people who have helped to welcome new Afghan neighbors, including thousands of local churches that have stepped up to build communities of love and welcome to receive them.”

“We’re thankful to the strong group of Republican and Democratic Senators and Representatives who have jointly introduced this bill, demonstrating that Congress can still work together on a bipartisan basis to find common sense solutions to policy challenges,” added Matthew Soerens, World Relief’s U.S. director of church mobilization and advocacy. “We’re praying for swift passage in both the Senate and the House of Representatives and then that President Biden will immediately sign the Afghan Adjustment Act into law.”

To learn more about how you can advocate, visit: https://worldrelief.org/advocate/.

To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.

About World Relief

World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization that brings sustainable solutions to the world’s greatest problems – disasters, extreme poverty, violence, oppression, and mass displacement. For over 75 years, we’ve partnered with churches and community leaders in the U.S. and abroad to bring hope, healing and transformation to the most vulnerable.

Learn more at worldrelief.org.