International, Politics

Afghan refugees await evacuation to the US, but how many are there?

Aug 20, 2021 at 11:48 AM CDT

Shannon Longworth

afghan refugees

The United States has a path to citizenship for Afghans who have been employed to help American troops or officials–the Special Immigrant Visa program. According to the Department of Defense, as many as 50,000 applicants are still in Afghanistan, and the U.S. has a total capacity of 22,000 applicants. So far, at least 2,000 have been evacuated, according to officials.

Shannon Longworth

Shannon Longworth was an investigative reporter and anchor for Straight Arrow News from 2021 to 2023. She started her career on California’s central coast, then made her way back home working in the sprawling suburbs of New York City

Tags: Joe Biden

Make SAN preferred on Google Show Transcript

THIS.

THIS IS HOW BADLY PEOPLE WANT OUT OF AFGHANISTAN.

SEVEN DIED IN THE CHAOS…SOME FALLING OFF THAT AMERICAN JET, IN AN EFFORT TO ESCAPE LIFE UNDER TALIBAN RULE.

SOME ON THE FAR RIGHT ARE ALREADY WORRIED ABOUT THE REPERCUSSIONS, SAYING

THEY’LL COMPOUND THE EXISTING CRISIS AT OUR SOUTHERN BORDER.

HERE’S TUCKER CARLSON ON FOX NEWS:

TUCKER CARLSON: IF HISTORY IS ANY GUIDE, AND IT’S ALWAYS A GUIDE, WE WILL SEE MANY REFUGEES FROM AFGHANISTAN RESETTLE IN OUR COUNTRY, AND OVER THE NEXT DECADE, THAT NUMBER MAY SWELL TO THE MILLIONS. SO FIRST WE INVADE, AND THEN WE ARE INVADED.”

THE LEFT IS MORE CONCERNED WITH WHAT REPRESENTATIVE ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ CALLS A “MORAL OBLIGATION” TO HELP THOSE REFUGEES “SAFELY AND SWIFTLY LEAVE AFGHANISTAN.”

SO, HOW MANY AFGHAN REFUGEES ARE ACTUALLY HEADING OUR WAY?

LET’S GET THIS STRAIGHT.

IT TURNS OUT THE U-S HAS A PATH TO CITIZENSHIP FOR AFGHANS WHO’VE BEEN EMPLOYED TO HELP AMERICAN TROOPS OR OFFICIALS.

IT’S CALLED THE SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISA PROGRAM.

JOE BIDEN: IN THE COMING DAYS, THE US MILITARY WILL PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO MOVE MORE SIV ELIGIBLE AFGHANS AND THEIR FAMILIES OUT OF AFGHANISTAN.

BUT THE PROCESS IS BOGGED DOWN BY DELAYS–AND IT HAS BEEN SINCE IT STARTED TO ACCEPT AFGHAN APPLICANTS IN 2009–I’M TALKING SEVERAL YEARS FOR AN APPLICANT TO BE ACCEPTED.

THE DEPT OF DEFENSE SAID WE’VE ALREADY BROUGHT IN AT LEAST A COUPLE THOUSAND REFUGEES, AND THEIR FAMILIES, THROUGH THIS PROGRAM…

AND THEY’RE WORKING TO BRING IN UP TO 22,000 *MORE* APPLICANTS.

AS MANY AS 50,000 APPLICANTS ARE STILL IN AFGHANISTAN.

SO, IN THE MEANTIME, THE US IS ASKING OTHER COUNTRIES TO TAKE SOME OF THESE REFUGEES.

UGANDA SAID IT WOULD TAKE IN 2,000.

ALBANIA AND KOSOVO ALSO SAID THEY WOULD HELP TEMPORARILY.

IN A STATEMENT, FORMER PRESIDENT BUSH SAID IT’S THE US’S RESPONSIBILITY TO SPEED THIS PROCESS UP, AND THAT THE

“GOVERNMENT HAS THE LEGAL AUTHORITY TO CUT THE RED TAPE FOR REFUGEES DURING URGENT HUMANITARIAN CRISES.”

WE’LL HAVE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE COMING DAYS AS THE SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN EVOLVES.

GOT IT STRAIGHT?

LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS AND DON’T FORGET TO HIT THE STRAIGHT ARROW BIAS METER.

Media

2 hrs ago

10m read

Inside the online video game that lures young people to a Russian drone factory
Social Issues

5 hrs ago

1m read

Death toll continues to rise following major earthquake in Colombia
Politics

7 hrs ago

8m read

Iran denies Trump’s ‘semi-negotiating’ claim; Netanyahu rejects Gaza peace plan
Social Issues

8 hrs ago

2m read

As wildfires burn across the West, crews progress around hard-hit Spokane