ELCA Calls for Support of Afghan Neighbors
Send a clear message to the White House: We Must Evacuate and Relocate Our Afghan Neighbors to U.S. Soil!
LEGISLATIVE MOMENT
As the United States withdraws from Afghanistan, Afghan nationals who cooperated with the U.S. military, independent journalists, dissidents, local nongovernmental organization staff and other vulnerable groups are at risk of retaliatory action. With a complete U.S. withdrawal expected by the end of the month and a rapidlydeterioratingsecurity situation, the White House and Congress must guarantee a place for all Afghan nationals seeking protection from persecution and fleeing threats to their lives because of their affiliation to the U.S. government.
Each day that passes, Afghan interpreters, embassy workers and other U.S. government personnel and their families who assisted the U.S. presence in Afghanistan risk suffering. One of the pathways for safety for Afghan nationals and their families who worked for U.S. forces is the Afghan Special Immigration Visa (SIV) program. The other is through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) through which the United States helps resettle thousands of refugees from across the world in American cities. Starting on Aug. 2, Afghan nationals who don’t meet eligibility for the SIV program may be referred for resettlement through a complementary Priority 2-Designation.
However, the administrative paperwork is a laborious time-consuming process—a luxury many do not have. There is a glimmer of hope—the administrationis workingto secure the airports for travel as they prepare to ramp up the evacuations of thousands of U.S. personnel, SIV applicants and other vulnerable people, including those who have passed initial security screenings.
The Biden administration should provide urgent humanitarian protections, including an immediate evacuation to U.S. soil, of those who have assisted the United States in Afghanistan.Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS)and other resettlement agencies stand ready to assist. Hundreds of international organizations, recognizing additional groups in need, are now calling on the administration to scale up their humanitarian response and expand programs for protection.
Fulfilling a commitment to be a sanctuary for people fleeing political and religious persecution, and standing as a beacon of hope, the United States should prepare to receive Afghan nationals affiliated with the U.S. government on U.S. territory, such asGuam, to commence a rigorous vetting process before relocation to the U.S. mainland. Congress can make a difference by ensuring that the125,000-refugee resettlement goalfor FY22 is fully funded and met. To help provide safety for our neighbors in Afghanistan during this critical window, the ELCA calls for diplomatic solutions that observe human rights and respect for all human life.
LIRS is calling for volunteers to support incoming Afghan nationals who are being evacuated to the United States. More athttps://lirsconnect.org/get_involved/action_center/siv.
ELCA Foundation for Action
The ELCA’s commitment to peace is based on the belief that all humans are created in the image of God, deserving of fulfillment, safety and love. At a time like this, the church is called to be serving presence in society, advocating for generosity and a compassionate welcome for all those in need of a new home. “The Church serves when it holds power accountable, advocates justice, stands with those who are poor and vulnerable, provides sanctuary, and meets human need” (ELCA social statement “For Peace in God’s World,” 1995). That statement also affirms the ELCA’s long-standing practice of welcome and hospitality for refugees. This tradition also includes Lutheran congregations’ sponsorship of refugees following periods of conflict.