Biden administration to shield Afghans in the U.S from deportation
CBSDec 22, 2021
The Facts
According to a senior US official, Biden seeks to suspend the temporary relocation of Afghans to the US in favor of focusing on reuniting immediate family members of US citizens, green card holders and Afghans with Special Immigration Visas (SIVs), with pathways to permanent residency.
The administration is no longer planning to allow Afghans to enter the country under 'humanitarian parole authority' starting on Oct. 1. Humanitarian parole authority allows at-risk Afghans to bypass the years-long waiting times on visa or refugee processes.
The Spin
Republican narrative
Afghanistan's refugee fiasco is just another example of the Biden administration's incompetence. The White House has had an entire year to streamline this process and has only finally done so in response to enormous and understandable political pressure.
Democratic narrative
The Biden administration is going above and beyond to help America's Afghan allies who fled the Taliban onslaught last year as a result of the hasty agreement made under Trump. Biden continues to prove his commitment to US allies and protecting those who have upheld US values across the globe.
