Biden urges Congress to pass Afghan Adjustment Act as US marks withdrawal anniversary

WASHINGTON

President Joe Biden urged Congress on Wednesday to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act as the US marked the second anniversary of the ending of the Afghanistan war.

The legislation aims to grant Afghans who sought refuge in the US due to the 2021 troop withdrawal the opportunity to seek permanent legal residency.

"Just as they contributed to our mission in Afghanistan for twenty years, our Afghan allies are now making vast contributions across our nation," Biden said in a statement.

"And, just as they stood with us, I remain committed to standing with them—including urging Congress to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act so we can provide a pathway to permanent legal status for our Afghan friends and neighbors," he added.

The act also seeks to expand the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program to include previously omitted groups in Afghanistan and establish a task force to develop and implement a strategy for supporting Afghans outside of the US.

According to the statement, the US has welcomed more than 117,000 Afghan newcomers since the withdrawal in August 2021.

A total of 2,461 US service members died and 20,744 others were wounded in the war.

"These servicemembers dared all, risked all, and gave all to our nation. We owe them and their families a debt we can never fully repay," said Biden.