The resettlement of 78,000 Afghans in the U.S. remains a work in progress. Many are struggling, filled with anxiety about the future and hoping Congress passes the Afghan Adjustment Act.
Afghan refugees, some of whom faced possible reprisals for working with their government or American forces during the war with the Taliban, say in interviews that they are grateful to the U.S. for rescuing them and family members.
It’s taken a toll. Esmaelzade said her mother has had to be rushed three times to the emergency room when her blood pressure shot up to dangerous levels. The younger woman attributes it to the stress of their lives. Some have managed to get established. “But there are many more who are not doing fine than are doing well,” said Megan Flores, executive director of the Immigrant & Refugee Outreach Center in McLean, Virginia.The experience of the evacuated Afghans is not unlike what refugees have historically faced in coming to the United States. In some ways it’s a preview for the up to 100,000 Ukrainians who President Joe Biden says will be welcomed, also in many cases on two years of humanitarian parole.
Congress could resolve the situation by passing the Afghan Adjustment Act, which would enable evacuees to apply for permanent residency after a year in the country, similar to relief granted in the past to people from Iraq, Cuba and Vietnam. Biden recently gave the effort a boost when he endorsed the idea of adding it to an upcoming Ukraine aid bill, a move welcomed by a coalition that includes veterans, religious organizations and resettlement agencies.
Safi said he still hopes to find a better job and is eager to get permanent residency. But he never complained in a lengthy interview at the family’s apartment in Alexandria. An intricate and vibrant Afghan rug — the only possession the family brought from home — occupies a prominent place in the living room.“I’m very lucky to be here, to be welcomed by the U.S. society. I met a lot of friends here who are checking on me almost every day,” said the 35-year-old Safi. “And it’s amazing.
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