Afghan allies protected under Tillis bill

U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) recently introduced a GOP-led bill that would provide support for nationals of Afghanistan who supported the United States mission in their homeland.

“I’ve heard from countless North Carolina veterans who are forever indebted to the brave Afghans who risked their own lives to protect them and advance our common mission in Afghanistan,” Sen. Tillis said. “We owe it to our Afghan allies to provide them with a fair and efficient refugee process that recognizes the sacrifices they made alongside America’s finest.”

The Ensuring American Security and Protect Afghan Allies Act, S. 2324, which Sen. Tillis cosponsored on July 13 alongside bill sponsor U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR), also would provide adjustment of status for eligible individuals, support at-risk Afghan allies and relatives of certain members of the U.S. Armed Forces, and amend section 212(d)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to reform the parole process, according to the bill’s text.

If enacted, S. 2324 would provide a path to permanent citizenship for Afghans who evacuated to America during America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, implement a better evacuee vetting system, and improve the process for referring Afghan allies for priority refugee status, according to a bill summary provided by Sen. Tillis’ office.

For example, the bill would provide affected Afghans with a four-year, conditional resident status that allows them to assimilate and begin new lives in the United States while they are being vetted, the summary says.

The legislation has been referred to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee for consideration.