National Security Leader Statement Urging Passage of the Afghan Adjustment Act

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Jill Jackson
jjackson@monumentadvocacy.com

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Council on National Security and Immigration (CNSI) leader Rick “Ozzie” Nelson today released a statement urging the Senate to pass the newly updated version of the Afghan Adjustment Act with enhanced security and oversight measures.

“For twenty years, Afghans fought alongside U.S. servicemembers in their home country, risking the lives of themselves and their families to help the U.S. defeat al Qaeda and the Taliban,” said Ozzie Nelson. “As it stands, we have thanked them for their service by leaving them in bureaucratic limbo, without certainty regarding their future in America.

The latest Afghan Adjustment Act allows Afghans who came to America through humanitarian parole after the fall of Kabul to access a path to permanent status. The Act ensures an enhanced biometric and biographic vetting procedure for all evacuees seeking to access the pathway to status. The updated text specifically addresses recommendations raised in DHS and DOD IG reports and requires in-person interviews for all applicants, putting to rest any lingering security concerns associated with the evacuation. The new text also includes additional reporting requirements, empowering further oversight of the administration’s handling of the evacuation.

Our national security depends on allies knowing we honor our promises and take care of those who fight with us. By passing the bipartisan Afghan Adjustment Act, the U.S. can send a clear message to partners around the world that we do not abandon our friends.”

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