The Afghan Adjustment Act is a bill that would allow certain Afghan nationals who were evacuated to the United States after the Taliban takeover to apply for permanent residency after one year of being paroled into the country. The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives on August 9, 2022, by Representative Jason Crow (D-CO) and Representative Michael McCaul (R-TX). It has not yet been passed by Congress.
The Afghan Adjustment Act would provide a path to permanent residency for Afghans who meet certain criteria, including:
- They must have been paroled into the United States on or after August 15, 2021.
- They must have been employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government in Afghanistan for at least one year.
- They must have been in Afghanistan on or before August 31, 2021.
- They must meet all other requirements for lawful permanent residence.
The Afghan Adjustment Act would also provide a number of other benefits to Afghan nationals, including:
- The ability to apply for work authorization immediately after being paroled into the United States.
- The ability to travel outside of the United States without losing their parole status.
- The ability to sponsor family members for immigration to the United States.
The Afghan Adjustment Act is supported by a number of organizations, including Refugees International, HIAS, and the American Immigration Council. These organizations argue that the bill is necessary to provide a pathway to permanent residency for Afghans who have risked their lives to help the United States.
The Afghan Adjustment Act is opposed by a number of organizations, including the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) and NumbersUSA. These organizations argue that the bill would reward Afghans who broke the law by entering the United States without permission.
The future of the Afghan Adjustment Act is uncertain. The bill has not yet been passed by Congress, and it is unclear whether it will be passed in the future.
