US House votes to grant refugee status to more Afghan allies who aided American troops

The US House of Representatives on July 22 voted unanimously to grant refugee status to thousands of Afghan allies who aided Americans in the Afghanistan war. According to The Associated Press, the Allies Act, which passed 407-16, will now allow for nearly 8,000 more American visas for people who worked with US troops, including guides and translators. It also eases some requirements for visas. It is worth noting that currently, around 26,500 special Afghan visas are allocated. 

According to reports, officials have expressed concern about the Taliban retaliating against those who previously aided Americans during the last few weeks of US military withdrawal from the war-torn country. Therefore, the House passed the new measure 407-16, sending it to the Senate. All of the no votes were from Republicans. 

“We must bring back … all the people who were so important to us in combat,” Florida Republican and Vietnam war veteran Rep. Neal Dunn said, urging fellow lawmakers to vote for the bill. “Please do not abandon friends of America again,” Dunn added. 

Rep. Tom McClintock, a California Republican, on the other hand, said that the Allies bill would add to what he said would be too-hasty screening and processing as the United States rushes to get the Afghans out. He pointed to security risks for the US and added, “We will not be adequately vetting arrivals under this program”. Other lawmakers, however, called it essential to future US military endeavours to prove that Americans would stand by local battleground allies. Some even urged the US government to open the door wider still to the Afghans who worked with Americans.

US may process Afghans in Kuwait, Qatar 

Meanwhile, the Biden administration has said that there are 20,000 applicants so far, half of whom have not completed the initial stage of review for the visas. The US is also allowing former Afghan employees to bring in close family members. While speaking to reporters, Tracey Jacobson, the director of the administration’s Afghanistan task force, informed that about 70,000 Afghans have settled in the US on special visas since 2008. Jacobson added that currently, the Biden administration plans to start flying 750 of the Afghans furthest along in the visa processing from Kabul to the US next week, along with their immediate families. 

Authorities have reportedly said that the new arrivals will head to Fort Lee, Virginia for an expected seven to 10 days to complete their processing. The Biden administration also hopes to process 4,000 former employees and their immediate families at the US base in some other country before bringing them to the US. As per reports, Qatar and Kuwait are among the latest countries being mentioned as possible hosts, however, US officials said that they had no agreements to announce yet. 

(With inputs from AP)