Afghan advocates are condemning what they say are arbitrary U.S. government delays in processing parole requests for Afghans who are in danger because of their association with the United States during its 20-year involvement in Afghanistan. These delays have left thousands of vulnerable individuals in limbo, unable to secure the safety that was promised. The Biden administration has been under fire for not doing enough fast enough to process such requests, as the situation in Ukraine becomes ever more threatening by the minute.
Processing delays have raised growing concerns among Afghan supporters and human rights organizations. Many of these applicants are the same people who have supported the U.S. military effort, worked with American NGOs, or were part of the broader mission in Afghanistan. Their affiliation with the U.S. has now put them in danger under the regime of the Taliban, making these delays not only bureaucratic issues but life-or-death situations.
This comes amidst the failure of the U.S. government to process the overwhelming number of parole applications lodged by Afghans following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Some have been granted, but hundreds more are sitting in the queue with no indication of when they might be resolved—a development causing enormous anguish and uncertainty for applicants and their families, who had expected a better and more considerate answer from the U.S.
Advocates point out that the U.S. government bears at least a moral responsibility to expedite these requests in light of the promises made to Afghans who risked their lives in support of American objectives. The arbitrary nature of the delays is one with no criteria for prioritization, and the U.S. has been accused by many of failing to live up to its commitments. Many are calling on the administration to allocate more resources to speed up processing on these most vital cases.
Some advocacy groups are seeking ways to hold the U.S. government liable, including legal action, for the delays. They call the situation a violation of trust placed in the United States by its Afghan allies and could mean severe repercussions to safety and security for those left behind. The continuing delays have only added to the sense of betrayal felt by so many Afghans who believed the U.S. promises of protection.
The wider context of the incident is the broader challenges the U.S. will have to grapple with in dealing with the aftermath of its withdrawal from Afghanistan. It puts in much sharper relief the uncertainty facing thousands of Afghan allies as pressure on the Biden Administration grows over these delays. Central to the issue is exactly how immigration and refugee policies are complicated by the context of international conflict and the responsibilities of nations to those who have supported them in times of war.
Leave a comment!