Congresswoman Sara Jacobs Applauds Biden Administration Action to Help More Afghan Nationals Resettle in United States
Jacobs has been a leading advocate for increased efforts to bring Afghan partners to United States
The Department of State has announced an update to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), granting a Priority 2 (P-2) designation for certain Afghan nationals and their eligible family members. This designation expands the opportunity to permanently resettle in the United States to many thousands of Afghans and their immediate family members who are not eligible for a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV).
Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (D-CA-53), a member of the House Armed Services Committee as well as the bipartisan Keeping Our Promises Working Group, has been a strong advocate for additional federal efforts to support Afghan partners and their families as the United States ends its involvement in the war in Afghanistan this year.
“We have an obligation to support those who supported us in Afghanistan. Withdrawing our troops from Afghanistan is the right thing to do. And as we move forward we must continue to work so that any Afghan national who helped our efforts, including women and community leaders, is taken care of as they now face grave security threats,” said Congresswoman Sara Jacobs. “As a member of the Keeping Our Promises Working Group, I applaud the White House for granting Priority 2 Designation to Afghan nationals and ensuring that all of our partners, not only those eligible for SIV, are able to come to safety. Now we have to expand and improve the implementation of these programs and take any additional steps to bring our allies to safety.”
In July, the House passed legislation to expand and expedite the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) process, which helps Afghan partners and their families safely immigrate to the United States. Jacobs joined colleagues in writing to the White House in April and June expressing their concerns over the safety of Afghan allies and called for increased action to bring them to safety.