CNSI BLOG

​

​

​

One year after U.S. Evacuated Afghanistan, Congress Must Pass the Afghan Adjustment Act

​

While the world’s leading technology companies call America home, the U.S. is facing a STEM skills shortage that is putting our global leadership position in the technology and innovation sectors at risk. The last several years have highlighted our vulnerabilities in regard to STEM skills and supply chains, and shined a light on how dependent the world is on China for technology-related manufacturing.

It’s been nearly three violent and treacherous months since Russia invaded Ukraine. The United Nations estimates that more than 6 million refugees have fled Ukraine since the conflict began, with the majority settling for now in Poland and throughout Eastern Europe.

The United States is a welcoming nation, as well as a nation of laws. While we generally welcome nonimmigrants for temporary stays, we need to make sure they leave as required. A recently released report indicates that while we have made impressive strides in identifying those who do not leave as required, our enforcement efforts still require additional enhancements and focus.
The Department of Homeland Security’s Entry/Exit Overstay Report to Congress, mandated by Congress nearly 20 years ago, provides information on nonimmigrant overstays on an annual basis. An ‘overstay’ is a person traveling lawfully to the United States who stays past their expected departure date, and in some cases remains in the U.S.

As the Council on National Security and Immigration celebrates its first year, we remain committed to upholding our mission of fighting for better immigration policies that will strengthen our international relationships, improve the United States’ image abroad, and support opportunities for immigrants seeking a better life.

During the humanitarian crisis sparked by the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan last summer, the Biden administration airlifted tens of thousands of Afghans to safety. Many of the evacuees had been targeted by the Taliban specifically because they had worked in support of U.S. military efforts, and the evacuation effort was supported by a diverse network of veterans’ groups, national security leaders, and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.

With a frequency slightly more often than the cicadas appear, negotiations are underway in the Senate to pass major immigration reform. Democrats have coalesced around two significant bills that would legalize Dreamers, holders of Temporary Protected Status, and agricultural workers. Republicans are coming to the table arguing for enforcement reforms to fix the Southern border ‘crisis.’  With Majority Leader Chuck Schumer threatening to add legalization measures to large budget and tax bills being developed, now is a critical time for thoughtful policymakers to find the ‘deal’ that has eluded Congress for over thirty years.

The humanitarian emergency at the southern border is the result of decades of inaction and dated policies that failed to address the root causes of borders surges and how to respond when they do occur.