Most have arrived in the country and have been staying on military bases awaiting resettlement in communities across the country, though about 2,000 still remain overseas awaiting clearance to enter the U.S., according to Palmer.īut advocates question some of USCIS's recent decisions for Afghan humanitarian parole, such as prioritizing applications from those already living in other countries. government as interpreters and in other jobs. The backlog of parole requests comes on top of the more than 73,000 Afghan refugees already evacuated from the country as part of Operations Allies Welcome, which was focused on Afghans who worked for the U.S. It's meant for foreigners who are unable to go through the asylum or other traditional visa processes, but who need to leave their country urgently. Humanitarian parole doesn’t provide a path to lawful permanent residence or confer U.S. officials warn it could then take months longer, and there's no guarantee parole will be granted, even after the interview. embassy or consulate as part of the screening process. Part of the challenge is that humanitarian parole requires an in-person interview, meaning those in Afghanistan need to travel to another county with an operating U.S. The program typically receives fewer than 2,000 requests annually from all nationalities, of which USCIS approves an average of about 500, according to Palmer. Of the more than 100 approved as of July 1, some are still in Afghanistan and some have made it to third countries, she said, declining to provide details. As of mid-October, the agency had only six staffers detailed to the program. Victoria Palmer, a USCIS spokesperson, said the agency has trained 44 additional staff to help address the application surge. “Do we not owe a duty to the people left behind, especially when they are following our immigration laws and using the options they have?” Pierre, whose nonprofit has filed more than 50 parole applications for Afghan nationals.
“People are desperate to get their families out,” said St.
Pierre, an attorney at the International Institute of New England in Lowell, Massachusetts, a refugee resettlement agency assisting Safi's family.Įach parole application comes with a $575 filing charge, meaning USCIS, which is primarily fee-funded, is sitting on some $11.5 million from Afghans in the last few months alone, she and other advocates complain. The slow pace of approvals is frustrating because families have already paid hundreds if not thousands of dollars in processing fees, says Chiara St. She says the families have been in hiding and their house was destroyed in a recent bombing because her uncle had been a prominent local official before the Taliban took over. permanent resident, who asked that her last name not be used for fear of retribution against her relatives, is hoping to bring over her sister, her uncle and their families. “Sometimes, I think there will be a day when I wake up and receive a call saying that they're no more.” “We're worried for their lives,” says Safi, a Massachusetts resident whose family is sponsoring 21 relatives seeking humanitarian parole. "We're worried for their lives," said Safi, whose family is sponsoring some 20 other relatives seeking humanitarian parole. for humanitarian reasons, but few have been approved since the Taliban recaptured control of their homeland. Thousands of Afghans have applied for temporary admission into the U.S.
9, 2021, during an interview with The Associated Press. Steven Senne/AP Show More Show Less 2 of5 A Massachusetts resident identifying herself only as "Safi," who asked that her last name not be used for fear of retribution against her relatives in Afghanistan, ties a bow around a keepsake teddy bear Tuesday, Nov. 1 of5 A Massachusetts resident identifying herself only as "Safi," who asked that her last name not be used for fear of retribution against her relatives in Afghanistan, holds a purse with traditional Afghan patterns, Tuesday, Nov.
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