RASC News Agency: Twelve Republican and Democratic senators have urged senior officials in the United States Congress to increase the number of special immigration visas for Afghanistanis who have worked with the U.S. government. Quoting from this letter, senators told Congress, “This vital program has so far saved the lives of thousands of Afghanistanis who served courageously and honorably alongside U.S. troops and diplomats in Afghanistan,” as reported by The Associated Press on Thursday night, Mar 14.
The senators stated that an additional 20,000 visas would be needed for them by the end of the fiscal year. Meanwhile, John Kirby, the spokesperson for the National Security Council, told reporters on Thursday, Mar 14, “While our war in Afghanistan may be over, our commitment to Afghanistanis and to those who worked with us in that war has not ended.” The senators have made this request as Reuters previously reported that the process of issuing special immigrant visas (SIVs) for resettling Afghanistan-American collaborators may end by the end of this year.
The Biden administration, led by the President of the United States, has also requested Congress to expedite efforts in this regard. It is worth noting that eligible Afghanistanis, along with their families, can apply for residency in the United States through special immigration visas or SIVs. These eligible Afghanistanis include former employees and translators in the U.S. military and embassy.
