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Tell Congress to Welcome Afghans

Urge your Representative to support the Afghan Adjustment Act, and your Senator to support the Fulfilling Promises to Afghan Allies Act

We should welcome Afghans in the U.S. We have a moral responsibility to do so. Our U.S. Veterans have asked Congress to do so time and again. Many individual Afghan allies have requested assistance fleeing from the Taliban, and securing safety for their families. American volunteers want to see our government treat these people with the same dignity and respect local communities have shown since 2021 when over 100,000 Afghans were evacuated during the fall of Kabul under Operations Allies Welcome and Allies Refuge, and at least 70,000 arrived in the U.S.

Together the Afghan Adjustment Act (H.R. 4895) and the Fulfilling Promises to Afghan Allies Act (S.2679) provide the needed welcome and adjustments. They represent more than simple legislative efforts—they provide “welcome to the stranger” and honor commitments to those who risked their lives alongside U.S. forces. These bipartisan bills, seek to fulfill America’s promise to Afghan allies who served as partners for peace, working to secure stability, and spread American democratic values.

The Senate bill, the Fulfilling Promises to Afghan Allies Act, was introduced on August 1, 2025, by Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) with Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) as the Republican lead. Other Senators joined as original co-sponsors.

The House bill, the Afghan Adjustment Act, was introduced on August 5, 2025, by Representative Miller-Meeks (R-IA-1) with Representative Jason Crow (D-CO-6) as the Democrat lead. Other Representatives joined as original co-sponsors.

While not identical, both bills will offer a lifeline to neighbors in need. Key thematic provisions include:

A pathway to stability, that includes additional vetting and interviews
Strengthening of systems for monitoring, reporting and processing
Expanding refuge for the vulnerable with extensions, waivers, and new categories of eligibility or priority
Secretarial discretion on application fees for ten years
.

Take Action, tell Congress this is a test of National Character. Passing this pair of bills is not merely policy—it is a testament to America’s compassion and accountability.

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Brief History And Background

1. United States evacuation operations saved many Afghans. Most of those arriving to the U.S. came on temporary humanitarian parole—a status that offers no lasting security. Though some found refuge through the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program or refugee resettlement programs, tens of thousands now navigate a complex, if not broken, system. Their futures uncertain, many remain in administrative limbo. A welcoming adjustment is the best solution for the entire population.

2. In the Summer of 2021, the United States, with its allies, evacuated over 122,000 Afghans as their government collapsed in the face of a Taliban offensive. More than 86,000 Afghan refugees were brought to the U.S. Despite determined efforts by UUSJ and many faith-based and veteran service organization allies, these refugees have languished in the U.S. without a guarantee of permanent residency. They are here on a humanitarian parole status, which provides no ability for them to develop long-term plans for themselves and their families. Many of these people have started the laborious and lengthy process of obtaining asylum. Still, many thousands of these refugees remain in a very tenuous status despite the vital support they provided to the U.S. government and military forces in the 20-year Afghan War.

3. In the Summer of 2022, a bipartisan solution to the lack of permanent residency called the Afghanistan Adjustment Act (AAA) was presented by six Senators (evenly divided between parties). Numerous Senators and Congress members from both parties backed the Bill. A companion piece of legislation called the Afghan Allies Protection Act (AAPA) was passed in 2009 — that legislation created a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV), which enabled Afghans who the United States had employed to come to the U.S. and enter a path to citizenship. SIVs are the primary tool for getting people still trapped in Afghanistan or its neighboring countries to the U.S. They are essential for family reunification. However, the AAPA requires annual reauthorization and an annual SIV increase to meet the need. The proposed AAA provided additional routes to citizenship and broadened the categories of Afghans eligible for SIV to include those not directly employed by the U.S. but who provided very valuable service (e.g., Afghan Air Force and Afghan Special Forces) to U.S. forces.

4. In 2023, initial concerns about the adequacy of vetting procedures existed, but these were resolved to the satisfaction of Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS), who serves as the Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans Committee. After that, he and Senator Klobuchar (D-MN) became the primary proponents for adjustment legislation in the Senate. Unfortunately, despite strong support from many members of both parties in Congress and strenuous efforts to attach the AAA to numerous must-pass pieces of legislation, adjustment for Afghans has not succeeded in Congress.

More information from ImmigrationForum.org

UU Grounding

As of General Assembly 2024, as Unitarian Universalists, we have agreed to “adopt new language on core religious values.” We agree love is the power that holds us together and is at the center of our shared values. The values we share include all the following, which we hold as inseparable and deeply interconnected: Interdependence, Pluralism, Justice, Transformation, Generosity, and Equity. (Read more on the Article II revision process.)

With these agreed core religious values in mind, we also ground our call for action in support of Afghan allies in the following Unitarian Universalist Statements of Conscience and Actions of Immediate Witness:

Protect the Dreamers, the Recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) with a Pathway to Permanent Residence, 2023 Action of Immediate Witness
Undoing Systemic White Supremacy: A Call to Prophetic Action, 2021 Statement of Conscience
Protect the Rights of Immigrants and Asylum Seekers, 2019 Action of Immediate Witness
End Family Separation and Detention of Asylum Seekers and Abolish ICE, 2018 Action of Immediate Witness
Build Solidarity with our Muslim Neighbors, 2016 Action of Immediate Witness
End Immigrant Child and Family Detention Now, 2015 Action of Immediate Witness
Immigration as a Moral Issue, 2013 Statement of Conscience

Tell Congress to Welcome Afghans

Urge your Representative to support the Afghan Adjustment Act, and your Senator to support the Fulfilling Promises to Afghan Allies Act

The Afghan Adjustment Act (H.R. 4895) and the Fulfilling Promises to Afghan Allies Act (S.2679) represent more than legislative efforts—they are a moral and spiritual response to “welcome the stranger” and honor commitments to those who risked their lives alongside U.S. forces.

These bipartisan bills seek to fulfill America’s promise to Afghan allies who served as partners in peace. Passing this legislation is not merely policy—it is a testament to America’s trustworthiness.

By offering refuge to the persecuted, we can honor the teachings of our sacred texts to welcome the stranger.

Senate: Fulfilling Promises to Afghan Allies Act 2025

Subject: Support the Fulfilling Promises to Afghan Allies Act

Message:

I'm writing to urge you to pass adjustment legislation for Afghans and to welcome them. This can be best accomplished in the Senate with the Fulfilling Promises to Afghan Allies Act. (I also support the Afghan Adjustment Act in the House). Each has bipartisan support. The United States military evacuated over 100,000 people from Afghanistan by most reports – including tens of thousands of Afghan allies, refugees, parolees, and their families. At least 70,00 entered the U.S. Those allies are now entering their fourth year in the U.S and still face uncertainty about their legal status. That is a shameful shortfall in government process and procedure. Only Congress can fix this in a meaningful way. Many Afghans had been allowed to re-parole, which only grants temporary permission to remain in the U.S. for two years, or are eligible for Temporary Protected Status, which grants protection for 18 months. However, that two-year re-parole will soon be ending, and TPS for Afghans has been terminated, adding urgency to passing welcoming legislation for Afghans. Communities across the U.S. have welcomed Afghan newcomers with open arms – hosting meet-and-greet events, organizing numerous volunteer programs and fundraisers, offering welcome meals, and devising creative solutions to provide them with the necessary supplies. However, local communities cannot resolve the issues of status and adjustment. Only Congress can do that. That is why I'm urging you to work with your colleagues to pass the Fulfilling Promises to Afghan Allies Act, which would give Afghan allies in the U.S. a clear pathway to permanent residence. While humanitarian parole and/or Temporary Protected Status have offered shelter for some, many lack a viable path to permanent legal status and continue to face uncertain futures in the U.S. These parolees have fled violence and persecution and deserve an opportunity to rebuild their lives in safety – without the fear and limitations associated with uncertain and temporary immigration status. This is a pledge many of our U.S. veterans felt we made while in country, over the course of the 20-year conflict. Congress must move swiftly to achieve welcoming legislation for Afghans. In the Senate, this can be accomplished through the Fulfilling Promises to Afghan Allies Act of 2025. Please support this legislation.

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House: Afghan Adjustment Act 2025

Subject: Support welcome for Afghans with the AAA 2025

Message:

I'm writing to urge you to pass adjustment legislation for Afghans, to welcome them. I feel this can be best accomplished in the House with the Afghan Adjustment Act introduced by Reps. Miller Meeks and Jason Crow. (I also support the Fulfilling Promises to Afghan Allies Act in the Senate.) Each has bipartisan support. The United States military evacuated over 100,000 people from Afghanistan by most reports – including tens of thousands of Afghan allies, refugees, parolees, and their families. At least 70,00 entered the U.S. Those allies are now entering their fourth year in the U.S and still face uncertainty about their legal status. That is a shameful shortfall in government process and procedure. Only Congress can fix this in a meaningful way. Many Afghans had been allowed to re-parole, which only grants temporary permission to remain in the U.S. for two years, or are eligible for Temporary Protected Status, which grants protection for 18 months. However, that two-year re-parole will soon be ending, and TPS for Afghans has been terminated, adding urgency to passing welcoming legislation for Afghans. Communities across the U.S. have welcomed Afghan newcomers with open arms – hosting meet-and-greet events, organizing numerous volunteer programs and fundraisers, offering welcome meals, and devising creative solutions to provide them with the necessary supplies. However, local communities cannot resolve the issues of status and adjustment. Only Congress can do that. That is why I'm urging you to work with your colleagues to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act, which would give Afghan allies in the U.S. a clear pathway to permanent residence. While humanitarian parole and/or Temporary Protected Status have offered shelter for some, many lack a viable path to permanent legal status and continue to face uncertain futures in the United States. These parolees have fled violence and persecution and deserve an opportunity to rebuild their lives in safety – without the fear and limitations associated with uncertain and temporary immigration status. This is a pledge many of our U.S. veterans felt we made while in country, over the course of the 20-year conflict. Congress must move swiftly to achieve welcoming legislation for Afghans. In the House, this can be accomplished through the Afghan Adjustment Act of 2025. Please support this legislation.

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