Joe Biden called the leaders of two groups of American veterans helping Afghans who have fled the country

President Joe Biden on Monday called the leaders of two groups of American veterans helping Afghans who have fled the country on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Biden spoke with leaders of the veteran-led groups #AfghanEvac and Honor the Promise to express his appreciation for their work to resettle Afghan allies in the United States since the US ended the 20-year war in Afghanistan.
They discussed the significant efforts made by the U.S. government, veterans, and so many Americans of all stripes over the past year to welcome nearly 90,000 Afghans to our country, and the U.S. government’s ongoing efforts to build a sustainable model to support resettlement. efforts and honor our commitments, said National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson. Tuesday marks the one-year anniversary of Biden declaring an end to the war.
The final weeks of America’s longest war have been chaotic as the US-backed Afghan government collapsed, a horrific bombing killed 13 US soldiers and 170 others and thousands of desperate Afghans descended on Kabul’s airport to seek a way out before the last American cargo planes he left . Biden continues to face criticism from immigrant refugee advocates that the administration has failed to resettle Afghans who have helped the U.S. war effort.
As of last month, more than 74,000 Afghan applicants remained in the queue for special immigrant visas that help military interpreters and others who have worked on government-funded jobs move to the United States and pave the way for green cards. This total only counts the main applicant and does not include spouses and children. More than 17,000 of that group of applicants have received critical approval from the head of mission, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday.
John Kirby, coordinator for strategic communications at the White House National Security Council, said the administration is continuing its efforts to approve the visa process. We understand the frustration of many, Kirby said. Quite frankly, we share this frustration and are doing our best to streamline the process. Shawn VanDiver, a Navy veteran and founder of #AfghanEvac, said in a statement that Biden shares his continued commitment to welcoming our Afghan allies to the United States.
The president is committed to maintaining and expanding the relocation and resettlement program for Afghan allies, and it’s clear that he recognizes the impact it will have on people’s lives, especially Afghan women and girls, VanDiver said. Days after Kabul’s surprise fall last year, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan promised the White House he would conduct a sweeping hot wash, looking at all aspects of the pullout from the top down.
The administration did not say when the review might be published. Biden issued a statement last week honoring the 13 U.S. soldiers who were killed in the final days of the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan at Kabul International Airport while helping to evacuate Afghans who were helping the U.S. war effort. Jean-Pierre said she had no details on how Biden would mark Tuesday’s anniversary. The president is scheduled to travel to Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday to deliver a speech on his efforts to reduce gun crime in the US.
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