Washington, DC, November 20, 2017 — The International Rescue Committee applauds Congress for allocating an additional 3,500 visas in the fiscal year (FY) 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to ensure that Afghan nationals and their families who face danger as a result of their employment with the United States can continue to access safety. Roughly 40% of the individuals IRC helped resettle in fiscal year (FY) 2017 were Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) recipients. We are proud to help these families find jobs, send their children to school, and establish themselves into their new communities.
In particular IRC commends Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman McCain (R-AZ) and Ranking Member Reed (D-RI); Senator Shaheen (D-NH), Senator Tillis (R-NC), Senator Blumenthal (D-CT); House Armed Services Committee Chairman Thornberry (R-TX) and Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA); Representative Kinzinger (R-IL), Representative Blumenauer (D-OR), and Representative Moulton (D-MA), among others, for ensuring continued access to protection for these individuals in a bipartisan manner. We urge Congress to similarly find bipartisan solutions to ensure that the United States meets its meager commitment to resettling 45,000 refugees this year.
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The International Rescue Committee responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is at work in over 40 countries and 28 offices across the U.S. helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future, and strengthen their communities. Learn more at www.rescue.org and follow the IRC on Twitter & Facebook.