ABDULLAH ANTEPLI & REBECCA FISHMAN: A year later, we must honor our commitments to our Afghan allies

EDITOR'SNOTE: Imam Abdullah Antepli is Associate Professor of the Practice in the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University studying the intersection of faith, ethics, and policy in higher education and the nonprofit sector. Rebecca Fishman is the Afghan Response Coordinator for the national nonprofit Upwardly Global, which focuses on eliminating employment barriers for refugee and immigrant professionals and advancing the inclusion of their skills into the U.S. workforce.

The fall of Kabul to the Taliban a year ago set off one of the largest refugee resettlement efforts in modern U.S. history. To date, Operation Allies Welcome has relocated nearly 90,000 Afghan newcomers, including about 5,000 U.S. citizens. Many served heroically with the U.S. government, as journalists, or as champions of human rights.  North Carolina has welcomed thousands.

One of the many talented newcomers we have met is a young lawyer, who we will call Ahmad, who resettled to the Triangle with his wife and infant son. Sharp and accomplished, he specialized in human rights law in Kabul and wants to rebuild his legal career in the States. Ahmad’s professional dreams are on hold while he helps his family navigate their new life, works long hours in an entry-level shipping and receiving department and provides childcare so his wife can attend English courses.  We know that highly skilled professionals like Ahmad are likely to continue to be under-employed.

On August 9, both the U.S. House and Senate introduced the Afghan Adjustment Act (AAA) – a bipartisan bill to help ensure our allies are granted a path towards citizenship and permanence in the U.S. There is historical precedence for adjustment acts following conflicts in Cuba, Vietnam, and Iraq.

The AAA is, first and foremost, a chance to honor our commitment to our Afghan allies and ensure they and their families can remain in the U.S. Most who are here arrived through humanitarian parole, which is a temporary emergency protection and functions outside of the standard immigration process. All Afghan newcomers have already gone through significant security vetting.  The adjustment process would include an additional round of security clearance, including in-person interviews.

In addition to a path towards citizenship and permanency, there are also significant community needs for welcoming Afghans that have yet to be met. As colleagues working on different aspects of refugee resettlement, we are united in our call for continued support for the inclusion of Afghan newcomers in North Carolina. These individuals bring important skills to enrich our economy and our communities.

There are thousands of Afghans in the U.S. with professional backgrounds, college degrees, and English proficiency. Their talent is desperately needed in the American workforce, and many bring experience in key industries likely technology and engineering. Despite the trauma of displacement and resettlement, many are eager to find employment at their skill level.  This is not a population looking for handouts.

Yet, given the financial realities, particularly when resettlement (cash) assistance ends, as well as the ongoing barriers to securing professional employment, newcomers like Ahmad must take low wage “survival jobs” to pay the bills. The longer individuals are out of their careers, the harder and less likely it is for them to return.

With our constantly shifting news cycle, it is easy to overlook those who still need our attention. Our country, communities, and employers must remember that Afghans bring essential skills to our economy. Here in the Triangle, we have met hundreds of newcomers like Ahmad.  Some have already found work at their skill level, while others are still struggling.

As practitioners and advocates, we believe that our Afghan allies deserve lasting protection, and that our country must continue to invest in welcoming newcomers. Passing the AAA is an important next step; not only is it a moral obligation, but it is also critical to advancing inclusion, economic empowerment, and workforce development for Afghan newcomers.

Let’s make the American dream possible for individuals like Ahmad and his family. Please join us in contacting Sen. Thom Tillis, Sen. Richard Burr and our elected members of the House of Representatives to urge them to support this time-sensitive opportunity.