The number of “independent departures,” which could top 700, is raising alarms among immigration advocates concerned about the risks to Afghans who give up on the resettlement process.
Hundreds of Afghans at US military bases have been leaving before receiving US
resettlement services, two sources familiar with the data have told
Reuters.
The number of “independent departures,” which top 700 and
could be higher, has not been previously reported.
But the
phenomenon is raising alarms among immigration advocates
concerned about the risks to Afghans who give up on what is now
an open-ended, complex and completely voluntary resettlement
process.
In the speed and chaos of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in August following 20 years of war, many evacuees were brought into the United States under a temporary status of “humanitarian parole.”
Once transferred to US military bases, refugee resettlement groups and US officials have been trying to connect people with services for a smooth transition to the United States.
READ MORE: The US is trying to outsource Afghan refugee applications
Future legal problems
In a statement, a US Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
spokesperson declined to comment on the figures provided to
Reuters by sources but said people who had left the bases “generally” had ties to the United States, like family members
of friends, and resources to support themselves.
The spokesperson said that in addition, at the outset of the
operation many of those evacuated were US citizens, permanent
residents or had approved Special Immigrant Visas so were able
to depart quickly.
But leaving early could cost other Afghan evacuees critical
benefits — like expedited work permits — and create a slew of
legal problems down the road, given the complexities of the US
immigration system.
“It’s a giant can of worms,” said one US Citizenship and
Immigration Services official, who spoke on condition of
anonymity.
“This could lead to years and years of terrible immigration
status problems.”
READ MORE: Why are Hazaras being evicted from their homes in Afghanistan’s Daikundi?
Expanding benefits
The benefits the evacuees have received have been more
limited, so far, than what’s offered to refugees. But that
appears set to change following legislation passed on Thursday
by Congress — despite opposition from Republicans — that would
give Afghan evacuees the more extensive assistance usually
provided to refugees.
“We should do everything in our power to help our Afghan
allies get off to a strong start in their new homes,” Democratic
Senator Jeff Merkley said in a statement.
The new legislation says Afghan asylum applications should
be expedited. But those who leave US bases early might not get
all the legal orientation they need start their applications.
READ MORE: US Democrats block Republican bid to cut benefits for Afghan refugees
One-way trip offbase
Immigration experts say Afghans who leave the bases are not
breaking US laws and military officials have no legal
authority to hold law-abiding Afghans against their will at any
of the eight locations hosting 53,000 Afghans who fled the
Taliban on US evacuation flights.
The scale of the independent departures vary from base to
base, according to the sources — more than 300 alone at Fort
Bliss in Texas — a figure that is likely to alarm both advocates
and critics of the massive US resettlement operation.
However, US officials stress that all of the Afghans
leaving US bases had already undergone security screening
before arriving in the United States. The risk of the
independent departures is to the Afghans themselves.
Reuters viewed a document, entitled “Departee Information,” that is meant to warn Afghans considering leaving before completing their resettlement. It reminds them that, on base, they can get their immigration paperwork processed and even cash to help pay for travel to their destination in the United States.
“Once you leave this base, you forfeit these advantages and may not return,” it reads.
READ MORE: Biden administration expands eligibility for Afghan refugee programme
Limiting factors for resettlement process
Afghans leaving US bases can be a touchy issue in some
parts of the country, particularly given media coverage of
security incidents at Fort McCoy, in Wisconsin, and Fort Bliss.
But General Glen VanHerck, head of Northern Command, pushed
back on the idea that criminality was a problem on the US
bases.
He told Pentagon reporters on Thursday that the numbers
of incidents involving robbery and theft were substantially
lower than in the general US population, with only eight cases
in six weeks.
Asked what was the limiting factor in getting Afghans
processed for resettlement, VanHerck said it was not
vaccinations against measles or the coronavirus or security
checks.
Instead, it was efforts by US officials to ensure “each of
the Afghan guests have a great place to land and have assurances
for where they’re going to relocate to.”
“So I understand that, right now, is the limiting factor on output,” he said.
READ MORE: Biden wants $6.4B from Congress to fund Afghan resettlement
Source: Reuters
Hundreds of Afghans leave US military bases before resettlement
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