Evacuate Our Allies' Statement on the Third Anniversary of the Start of the Afghan Evacuation
Evacuate Our Allies Calls on U.S. Policymakers to Honor Commitments and Address Ongoing Challenges Facing Afghans
August 15, 2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As we mark the third anniversary of the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban and the subsequent evacuation efforts, the Evacuate Our Allies coalition reaffirms our unwavering commitment to at-risk Afghans. While our coalition and countless Americans working alongside us have made progress in pressing our government to fulfill its moral, ethical, and legal obligations to Afghans, much work remains.
The Evacuate Our Allies coalition continues to demand that America fulfills the promises it owes to our Afghan partners. These brave individuals, who risked everything to build a democratic and free Afghanistan, deserve our gratitude, peace of mind, and the permanent security that comes from honoring our commitments. Their decades of sacrifice and dedication demand nothing less.
Most urgently, we are calling for swift passage of critical legislation, including the Afghan Allies Protection Act and the Afghan Adjustment Act. These bills are essential to providing long-term security and legal status to the community here in the United States and those left behind.
Our coalition also demands that the administration continue to use every tool at its disposal to ensure the safety of those left behind. While the Biden administration has already taken important steps—such as improving Special Immigrant Visa processing, redesignating Temporary Protective Status, and prioritizing Afghan family reunification—these efforts must continue to be fully implemented to make a real difference. We also urge the administration to again push for additional investments in and the codification of the Coordinator For Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE) Team to further protect our Afghan allies.
“While we acknowledge the progress made since the evacuation, we are also clear-eyed about the outrageous number of broken promises and the inexcusable delays,” said Joseph Azam, a member of the Evacuate Our Allies coalition and Board Chair of The Afghan-American Foundation, “anyone who stands in the way of doing more to keep America’s word to Afghans has a hand in the misery that so many Afghans have endured over the last three years.”
President Biden and Congress must act urgently to ensure America recommits its support for at-risk Afghan allies, friends, and neighbors. The protective measures we have been fighting for over the last three years are not merely policy issues; they are moral imperatives that we have a duty to pursue.
As we reflect on the past three years, the Evacuate Our Allies coalition remains steadfast in our mission to support at-risk Afghans. We will continue to work with policy makers, veterans, refugee advocates, and the growing Afghan-American community to ensure that America lives up to its commitments.
About Evacuate Our Allies
Evacuate Our Allies is a coalition of trusted human rights, religious, and refugee organizations working alongside veterans and frontline civilians to relocate, welcome, and support the resettlement of as many at-risk Afghans as possible.