‘They deserve our help.’ U.S. expands Afghan refugee program as violence spikes

As violence in Afghanistan soars, the Biden administration announced Monday that it was expanding the pool of endangered Afghans who can receive refugee visas, but the system’s complexities may limit who can benefit.

The new visa program comes after demands from Congress, news organizations and human rights groups for greater protection for tens of thousands of Afghans who worked with U.S. entities during the two-decade war and now face potential retaliation from Taliban forces advancing swiftly as U.S. and NATO troops withdraw.

“There are Afghans who helped us, and they deserve our help,” Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said in detailing the effort. “We will do all we can to invest and … continue to welcome Afghan immigrants and refugees as our neighbors in gratitude for helping us despite the danger. We won’t forget.”

Among the newly eligible are Afghans who worked for U.S. nongovernmental organizations, aid programs and media. Administration officials said they could not estimate how many people will qualify but that it could be tens of thousands.

Already, some 20,000 Afghans who worked as translators for the U.S. military and diplomatic missions are being considered for special immigrant visas or have expressed interest in acquiring them. A first group of about 200 visa recipients arrived at an Army base in Virginia last week and another 4,000 or so, including family members, are expected in the coming weeks, Blinken said.