Opinion: Remembering our obligations to Afghan refugees
August 15 marks a year since I watched my fellow Afghans fall from the wings of a U.S. plane as it left Kabul airport. The images on seared themselves in my memory and brought an urgency to my desire to see my fellow Afghans safe. I hope that in the time since then, our resolve as Americans to do right by the Afghan people hasn’t dimmed. In particular, the crisis in Ukraine should not altogether overshadow Afghan resettlement needs.
In Los Angeles alone, where I help people integrate, I’ve helped hundreds of Afghans. Roughly 79,000 Afghan nationals have come to the U.S. as part of Operation Allies Welcome. It’s the coordinated effort across the federal government to support and resettle them. It includes people who worked on behalf of the United States when American troops were on the ground.
Coming to America after enduring 20 years of war is hard enough. Many Afghans must learn English. Or they must take care of family members who don’t speak it. They need to figure out how to become a legal permanent resident, so they can settle here. Otherwise, they face the uncertainty of what might happen next. But lawyers cost money. And there isn’t enough free legal help available for everyone. People don’t know if they’ll be here for two years before the U.S. kicks them out again.