Afghan Refugee Resettlement in the United States
The last few months have been a tumultuous period in Afghanistan. Starting with the withdrawal of U.S. military forces to the Taliban seizing control of Kabul and most of the rest of the country, what is happening in Afghanistan has led to thousands of Afghan refugees fleeing their home country. Many of those refugees are seeking safety in the United States. But, how exactly does the process work? This article will explore what Afghan refugee resettlement in the United States actually looks like.
At the end of September, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act, which included $6.3 billion in funds to support Afghan refugees.
While the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) has a standard process for resettling refugees within the United States, the Department of State announced on August 2nd a Priority 2 (P-2) designation that granted USRAP access for particular Afghan nationals and their eligible family members.
The time-sensitive nature of the situation in Afghanistan has led to these expanded opportunities for thousands of Afghans and their families to permanently resettle in the United States. This includes access for Afghan refugees who would not normally be eligible for a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV).
This process involves Afghan refugees being screened and vetted at one of eight domestic U.S. military bases—with more screening sites overseas—before they are resettled in America. According to the State Department, only 7,000 Afghan refugees have arrived in the U.S. and been matched with resettlement agencies as of the first week of October.
On October 12th, the Department of Homeland Security reported that over 53,000 Afghan refugees are still waiting to be resettled at the eight domestic military bases, while 15,000 refugees are still being vetted overseas before they are able to enter the U.S.
After being vetted and approved for resettlement within the U.S., Afghan refugees in America are then matched with resettlement agencies—often nonprofit organizations—that sponsor them. These agencies place the Afghan refugees in a community determined to be the most beneficial for their success. Once the refugees arrive in their new community, they are assisted by local non-governmental organizations as they integrate into their new community and become economically self-sufficient.
However, these resettlement agencies are struggling to keep up with the influx of refugees, which has resulted in the adoption of a new program that will allow groups of private citizens to sponsor Afghan refugees to help fill the gaps in the resettlement process. In order to continue the critical work they are doing, resettlement agencies require more funding and resources.
The International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) advocates for the rights of all uprooted people, including Afghan refugees currently in need. Its national member in the U.S. is the Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), whose resettlement network includes over 100 diocesan offices.
Together with our partner agencies, ICMC works on providing assistance to Afghan refugees, as well as calling on governments around the world to provide immediate support to all Afghans in need of protection. Find out how you can make a difference and help Afghan refugees today!
