A new program designed by the Biden administration proposes to solidify how American citizens can assist with the relocation of refugees.
Operation Enduring Welcome intends to assist refugees by having citizens volunteer to provide a place to stay, food, clothing, and much more. It will replace a series of previous operations focused on getting refugees out of Afghanistan as quickly as possible.
The number of asylum-seekers fleeing to the United States has been steadily growing. A Pew Research Center study in September 2021 found that 46% of respondents either somewhat or strongly opposed the widespread admission of refugees.
During the fiscal year 2020, the U.S. settled under 12,000 refugees. Yet, in 2022, President Biden has stated he intends to settle over 125,000 refugees.
The large majority of these refugees are from Afghanistan, following the August 2021 removal of U.S. forces in the country.
Several programs have been initiated since the influx of Afghan arrivals. Weeks after the U.S. withdrawal of troops, Operation Allies Welcome was initiated by the Department of Homeland Security. This first phase focused primarily on offering medical screening and document processing at U.S. military bases.
Around this time, the Sponsor Circle Program for Afghans began, which allowed for groups of citizens to help support refugees in securing jobs and permanent housing over a 90-day period.
The program was not funded directly by the federal government, instead asking for each community group, also known as a sponsor circle, to raise $2,275 per refugee to cover the 90-day transition period.
Now, in September 2022, Operation Enduring Welcome is serving as a more long-term immigration guideline, with the last U.S. military processing centers closing.
Under the plan, which is set to be finalized by the end of 2022, citizens can be matched with an Afghan refugee approved for admission into the United States through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).
“As part of our efforts continues to welcome our Afghan allies, we are adopting a new model where Afghan arrivals will travel directly to the communities where they will be moving with the help of refugee resettlement organizations,” stated White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
Essentially, the previous Sponsor Circles Program will be improved upon, with added features to get refugees into homes quickly.
The USRAP sorts through refugee status applicants and selects between those who should be safely returned to their home country, and those who should be allowed entry into the U.S. One change from the previous model is that citizens will be able to select which approved refugee they want to take in while the refugee is still overseas.
Refugees will no longer have to be sponsored by groups but, rather, can be taken in by a single individual, which is a part of phasing refugees out of shelters and into long-term homes. Allowing Afghan refugees to obtain more permanent immigration status, via Afghan Special Immigrant Visas, will be the main focus of the new Operation Enduring Welcome.
The process of admission for refugees is also set to change in the coming months. Over 90% of the 86,000 Afghan refugees admitted since August 2021 have been allowed into the U.S. under a type of “humanitarian parole.”
Due to the sheer number of people seeking asylum, refugees were allowed to bypass the visa process and be admitted very quickly. Parole is granted to those who have “emergency” circumstances, or those who are a “significant public benefit,” the US Citizenship and Immigration Services explained.
Starting October 1, Operation Enduring Welcome will categorize refugees more strictly to determine who gets permanent admission. Those who will be granted resettlement include immediate family members of U.S. citizens, a refugee resettled over the past year, one who qualifies for a Special Immigrant Visa, and the “most vulnerable” refugees, such as women with children.
The White House stated that the phasing-out of the parole system is to give refugees a more efficient pathway to formal immigration.
“Moving forward, Afghan arrivals will enter the United States with a durable, long-term immigration status that will facilitate their ability to more quickly settle and integrate into their new communities,” an administration official said.
Since the arrival of Operation Allies Welcome, some have expressed apprehension regarding the screening process for and the number of Afghan refugees. Others cited fears of security risks associated with an accused too-sloppy admissions process. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), wanted to pause Afghan arrivals until all Americans “stranded” in Afghanistan were safely home.
