US Senator Urges Resettlement of Afghan Allies in United States

US Senator Jeanne Shaheen has urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to resettle Afghan allies within the United States rather than transferring them to third countries or returning them to Afghanistan. In communications addressed to the Secretary, Shaheen warned that returning these individuals to Afghanistan would expose them to persecution and harassment by the Taliban.

The Senator's appeal comes in response to US government plans to close the Al-Sulayyah camp in Qatar and transfer more than 1,100 Afghan citizens to other countries. Shaheen highlighted that more than 800 of the individuals currently residing in the camp are eligible refugees, approximately half of whom are women and children. This group includes former Afghan security officers and the families of US Department of Defense forces.

In addition to her concerns regarding the camp's closure, Senator Shaheen criticized the Trump administration's approach to resettlement. She argued that the administration has prioritized the resettlement of white South Africans over Afghan citizens who are facing immediate and severe risks. Shaheen advocated for the US to fulfill its obligations to those who assisted US forces by providing them with a secure path to resettlement within the United States.