Washington, DC – Yesterday, a bipartisan group of Representatives introduced the Afghan Adjustment Act—just days after its identical companion bill was introduced in the Senate. The bicameral, bipartisan legislation creates a path to citizenship for tens of thousands of Afghan evacuees currently in the United States that were resettled into American communities after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan one year ago.
As the Interfaith Immigration Coalition (IIC) celebrates this much-needed legislation and recognizes the one year anniversary of the fall of Kabul on August 15, they remember the many vulnerable children, women, and men that remain in Afghanistan, subject to ongoing persecution and violence. As people of faith, the IIC is concerned with neighbors near and far, those fortunate enough to be evacuated and those left behind.
The member organizations of the IIC urge Congress to support and pass the Afghan Adjustment Act, and they urge the Biden administration to create safe and efficient pathways out of Afghanistan and into the United States.
“The Afghan Adjustment Act is a real solution to a real problem faced by many of our neighbors and allies. Relocated Afghans deserve a future that is not in question, one that includes raising their children in safety, free from the threat of the Taliban. The fact that the bill is supported by both Republicans and Democrats demonstrates that it is a necessary, and moral, extension of America’s spirit of welcome,” said Meredith Owen, Director of Policy and Advocacy at Church World Service. “After the fall of Kabul, thousands of Americans reacted by asking how they could support Afghans in danger. Many of those whom we have welcomed served alongside the U.S. mission in Afghanistan; because of their service they and their families are at risk. Today’s bill, if passed, would be a fulfillment of America’s promise to the persecuted, and an investment in our nation’s capacity to welcome.”
“We celebrate the bicameral, bipartisan introduction of the Afghan Adjustment Act,” stated Barbara Weinstein, Director of the Reform Jewish Movement’s Commission on Social Action. “This long-awaited legislation will help tens of thousands of Afghan refugees rebuild their lives with stability and certainty. Over 36 times the Torah reminds us of our obligation to welcome the stranger. Our commitment to just immigration and refugee policy is rooted in these texts and our own history as a people fleeing persecution. We stand with our Afghan neighbors and encourage the swift passage of the Afghan Adjustment Act in both the House and the Senate.”
“With the first anniversary of the fall of Kabul nearly upon us, we commend House and Senate leaders for working together to find a sensible solution for Afghans associated with the United States mission who fled the Taliban in the wake of the Afghan government’s collapse,” said Melanie Nezer, HIAS’ senior vice president of Global Public Affairs. “Without the AAA, those evacuated last summer have no assurance that they can remain in the U.S. after their parole status expires. This legislation would change that by establishing pathways to help Afghans find stability and begin to build new lives in the U.S.”
“The surprising great news about the bi-partisan, bi-cameral effort to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act is welcomed with enthusiasm and gratitude by Franciscan Action Network,” stated Sister Marie Lucey, OSF, Associate Director of FAN. “The AAA lingered in the shadows for months, and now that it has been resurrected by members of both parties and both chambers, it must be passed if this country is to be true to its moral duty and promise to relocated Afghans.”
“The National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd celebrates the bipartisan introduction of the Afghan Adjustment Act in both the House and Senate. It has been a year since the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan – we must all come together to ensure our Afghan neighbors, allies, and friends have lasting protections and are freed from living in uncertainty,” said Fran Eskin-Royer, Executive Director of NAC. “Our Land of Promise must keep its promises to these trusted partners and pass the Afghan Adjustment Act.”
“The Torah demands, ‘You must fulfill what has crossed your lips’ (Deuteronomy 23:24),” said Sara Litt, co-chair of T’ruah: the Rabbinic Call for Human Rights. “The Talmud understands this phrase as including two commandments: a) to carry out ‘what has crossed your lips’ and b) ‘to fulfill’ your vow without delay. (Rosh Hashanah 6a, gloss Rashi) Until now, the U.S. had been delaying. Passing the Afghan Adjustment Act introduced will be a critical step toward fulfilling what has crossed our lips.”
“Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA) has rallied alongside Afghans, veterans, frontline civilians, fellow resettlement agencies, and welcoming communities across the country advocating for the introduction and passage of an adjustment act,” said Kristyn Peck, CEO. “LSSNCA is optimistic about this step forward. We see what happens when we work together, and we now call on members of Congress to vote in support of this long overdue and much needed bill, and to support the approval of the thousands of outstanding SIV and parole applications. We see how the uncertainty about their legal status, and their families, weigh heavily on our Afghan neighbors’ hearts.”
“The Sisters of Mercy of the Americas applaud the introduction of the Afghan Adjustment Act in both the House and Senate,” stated Sister Áine O’Connor, Member of Sisters of Mercy’s Institute Leadership Team. “This long overdue legislation recognizes the collaboration and mammoth contributions so many Afghans made to U.S. operations in their country over two decades. Justice demands quick passage of this bill. This is the least we can do to honor these sisters and brothers who have risked their lives and suffered so much as a result of this partnership. They deserve our welcome to rebuild their lives here and to call America home.”
“The introduction of the Afghan Adjustment Act is bi-partisan, bi-cameral, comprehensive in its scope to support both Afghans in the US and those still needing escape, and absolutely essential to providing lasting protections for Afghan allies who have served with the United States for many years,” said Rev. Dr. Sharon Stanley-Rea of Disciples Refugee & Immigration Ministries. “The tens of thousands of Afghans who have become our new friends and community members since the fall of Kabul have enriched our lives. As our hearts grieve the trauma likely being re-lived at this anniversary of so much loss, we celebrate ways our nation can work together by passing the Afghan Adjustment Act to rebuild hope, to live into our country’s commitment to help heal the lives of the vulnerable, and to remind our nation that welcoming refugees is a powerful way to say “Yes!” to the call of scripture to love our neighbors and trust that the God who once led Abraham in faith continues to lead migrants into new journeys today!”
The Interfaith Immigration Coalition is made up of over 55 national, faith-based organizations brought together across many theological traditions with a common call to seek just policies that lift up the God-given dignity of every individual. In partnership, we work to protect the rights, dignity, and safety of all refugees and migrants. Follow us on Twitter @interfaithimm
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