What’s next for Afghans who fled to the United States?

On Wednesday, November 3, 2021 at 19:30 GMT:
Thousands of Afghans who entered the United States after fleeing the Taliban in August now face the daunting challenge of resettling in a new place.

More than 70,000 Afghans have moved to the US in the past two months. The vast majority – some 56,000 people, half of them children – are being temporarily housed in tents and barracks at military bases across the country. There, many remain in limbo as US immigration agencies struggle to process the paperwork that is needed for benefits including housing aid and job support.

Refugee assistance groups were not prepared for such a huge influx of people this summer, which was a result of the abrupt withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan and the subsequent mass evacuation of Afghans who assisted the US in its 20-year war and those fleeing potential persecution.

To help speed up the resettlement process, the government recently introduced a new program that allows Americans to privately sponsor Afghan migrants. For now, Americans overwhelmingly support resettling Afghans who worked with the US government or military. But concerns about security risks and the cost of that support are rising.

In this episode of The Stream, we’ll talk to Afghans in the US about the resettling process, the obstacles they face and what more needs to be done for them to start rebuilding their futures. Join the conversation.

On this episode of The Stream, we speak with:
Arash Azizzada, @87films
Co-founder, Afghan Diaspora for Equality & Progress

Hamed Amadi, @ahmadihamed_
Blogger

Nilab Sadat
Founder & CEO, Sana Medical Complex