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Rep. Susie Lee Votes to Pass Bipartisan Bill to Protect Afghan Partners who Worked with American Service Members in Afghanistan

July 22, 2021

WASHINGTON – Today, Rep. Susie Lee voted to pass the bipartisan Averting Loss of Life and Injury by Expediting SIVs (ALLIES) Act, a bill designed to protect our Afghan partners and expedite the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) process as the U.S. withdraws from Afghanistan.

"We must protect the men and women who put their lives on the line to help American service members as we fought terrorism in Afghanistan," said Rep. Susie Lee. "We promised these men and women that we would have their backs if they had ours, and we need to keep our word. As U.S. forces withdraw from Afghanistan, it's more important than ever that we swiftly help get these brave Afghans and their families to safety."

The Afghan SIV Program was created in 2009 to provide safety for Afghan interpreters, contractors, and security personnel who worked with American service members in Afghanistan. The application process has been plagued by delays since the program was established and faces severe backlogs, with wait times routinely stretching for years. Since the Biden Administration announced its plans to withdraw all US forces from Afghanistan by September 11, 2021, Members of Congress and the national security community have called on the Administration to expedite this visa process, as Afghan SIV applicants and their families are increasingly under threat by the Taliban.

The ALLIES Act would increase the Afghan SIV cap by an additional 8,000 visas and remove burdensome application requirements that slow down the application process without impacting national security.

Specifically, the ALLIES Act Would:

  • Increase the Afghan SIV cap by an additional 8,000 visas;
  • Remove the requirement for a "credible sworn statement" regarding the threat applicants face for having worked for or on behalf of the U.S. government, since both public and clandestine reporting confirm that Afghans who have worked for the U.S. face heightened risk of retribution from the Taliban.
  • Remove the requirement for International Security Assistance Force or Resolute Support employment to be "sensitive and trusted", expanding the field of qualified applicants.
Issues:Veterans