Crow Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Help Afghans who Assisted American Servicemembers Resettle in U.S.

WASHINGTON — Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06), a former Army Ranger who serves on the House Armed Services Committee, has introduced new bipartisan legislation to honor America’s promise made to our Afghan allies.

The Afghan Adjustment Act would establish a pathway to lawful permanent status for tens of thousands of Afghans currently in the U.S. who evacuated from Afghanistan following the U.S. military withdrawal. After completing additional vetting requirements, this adjustment of status would provide support to eligible Afghans in need of protection with stability as they continue to rebuild their lives. Crow introduced the bill with Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01). 

“I served in combat in Afghanistan. I might not be here today were it not for the brave Afghans who fought & served alongside us. After the war, we promised we’d protect those who protected us, and we need to make sure the U.S. is living up to that commitment. The Afghan Adjustment Act is an important next step to get vulnerable Afghan families to safety and ensure they can live in the United States,” said Congressman Crow.

“As a 24-year Army veteran, I know the sacrifices our Afghan allies made alongside American forces. They fought with us, risked their lives, and now face grave threats from the Taliban because of that service. The Afghan Adjustment Act is a responsible, bipartisan effort to honor our promise and provide a legal, secure pathway for our Afghan partners and their families who bled for our flag. It’s the right thing to do, and long overdue,” said Congresswoman Miller-Meeks.

“As a light infantry commander in Afghanistan, my interpreter was like a second company commander. I leaned on him for much more than language translation, and he served the U.S. as faithfully and loyally as any U.S. soldier. Thankfully, he made it to safety, but far too many of our closest allies remain in danger abroad or without a pathway to standardized vetting and permanent legal status in the United States,” said Andrew Sullivan, Executive Director of No One Left Behind. “The Afghan Adjustment Act is a necessary, veterans-led priority to secure our Afghan allies who face targeted retribution for their service to the U.S. missions in Afghanistan.”

"AMVETS proudly supports the Afghan Adjustment Act as a critical step toward upholding our nation’s commitments to those who bravely stood beside American service members. Many of these individuals risked their lives to support U.S. missions in combat, intelligence, and humanitarian operations, and they continue to face grave danger as a result. This overdue legislation strengthens security through enhanced vetting while providing a clear, lawful pathway to protection for our Afghan allies,” said AMVETS National Executive Director Joe Chenelly.

"For nearly two decades, our Afghan allies stood shoulder to shoulder with our troops. They fought for the ideals of democracy and the promise that is America. 72% of IAVA members believe we must do more to keep our promise to our allies. Countless of them stepped up to help Afghan refugees during the withdrawal because we know what loyalty means. IAVA fully supports this legislation and we thank Representatives Miller-Meeks and Crow for leading the charge to do right by those who risked everything for our shared mission,” said Dr. Kyleanne Hunter, CEO, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA).

"The United States has a moral obligation to support the Afghans that risked their lives to aid and protect our service members and diplomats during America’s longest war. The Afghan Adjustment Act is a vital step to keep our word, strengthen national security, and uphold the values that define us as a nation," said Rye Barcott, Co-Founder and CEO of With Honor Action. "We are grateful to Representatives Jason Crow and Mariannette Miller-Meeks, members of the For Country Caucus, for their bipartisan leadership on this critical effort to protect our wartime allies and honor America's promise.”

"Student Veterans of America strongly supports the reintroduction of the Afghan Adjustment Act by Representatives Miller-Meeks and Crow. This bipartisan legislation honors the promises made to our Afghan allies, who stood shoulder to shoulder with U.S. forces by providing a clear, secure path to permanent residency status. This is a critical step in upholding our national security, moral obligation, and the trust forged on the battlefield,” said Jared Lyon, National President and CEO of Student Veterans of America. “We thank Representatives Miller-Meeks and Crow for their leadership and commitment to those individuals and their families who risked everything in support of American lives and of the United States.”Currently, Afghans who were admitted to the United States under temporary humanitarian parole can only pursue permanent legal status through the asylum system or, for those who are eligible, the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program. Both options face severe backlogs, long processing times, and logistical obstacles for these Afghans who were brought to the United States under emergency circumstances. Congress has passed similar adjustment legislation in the wake of other wartime evacuations and humanitarian crises, including the Vietnam War. 

Specifically, the Afghan Adjustment Act would: 

• Allow Afghans on temporary humanitarian status in the U.S. who submit to additional security vetting to apply for permanent legal status. 
• Codify an Interagency Task Force, led by the U.S. Department of State, responsible for creating and implementing a strategy to continue the relocation and resettlement of eligible Afghan partners from Afghanistan.  
• Require the U.S. Department of State to respond to congressional inquiries related to SIV applications or U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) referrals and implement an office capable of reviewing visa applications and providing necessary consular services
• Expand eligibility for U.S. Refugee Admissions Program referrals for the Priority 2 (P-2) pathway to Afghans who worked and served alongside U.S. forces, including members of the Afghan National Army Special Operations Command, the Afghan Air Force, the Female Tactical Teams of Afghanistan, and the Special Mission Wing of Afghanistan.
• Extend the Afghan SIV program through December 31, 2029, authorize virtual consular interviews, and exempt Afghans injured and the families of those killed in the course of their employment by or on behalf of the U.S. from the one-year service requirement
• Authorize SIVs for eligible parents and siblings of members of the U.S. armed forces and U.S. veterans

The legislation is supported by No One Left Behind, AMVETS, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), With Honor Action, Evacuate Our Allies Coalition, and Student Veterans of America.

Congressman Crow has been a champion of our Afghan allies. He introduced HOPE and ALLIES to facilitate and expedite the SIV process, as well as  the Afghan Allies Protection Act to expand and extend the SIV program. Congressman Crow also founded the Honoring Our Promises Working Group following the announcement of the withdrawal to help expedite SIVs and U.S. Refugee Admissions Programs. During previous congressional hearings, Crow highlighted the importance of the SIV program and previously worked to ensure the authorization of 12,000 additional Afghan SIVs in the State Department's foreign operations funding bill. 

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