Task Force Argo

Public Awareness: Who are these Afghan Refugees? (EO on Realignment of the United States Refugee Admissions Program) Report to Congress: 🔔 Priority 1️⃣ - cases are identified and referred to the program by UNHCR, a U.S. embassy, a U.S. government agency senior official granted referral authority by PRM, or a designated NGO. UNHCR, which has the international mandate to provide protection to refugees worldwide, has historically referred the vast majority of cases to the United States under this priority. A U.S. ambassador or designated embassy representative may also make a P-1 referral for vulnerable individuals and are encouraged to do so. Such referrals include those still in their country of origin, if the ambassador or designate determines that such persons warrant exceptional treatment and PRM and USCIS concur. 🔔 Priority 2️⃣ - Certain Afghans who do not meet the minimum time in-service for an SIV but who work/worked as employees of contractors*, Locally Employed Staff, interpreters or translators for the U.S. government, including United States Forces Afghanistan, International Security Assistance Force, or Resolute Support; certain Afghans who work/worked for a U.S. government funded program or project in Afghanistan supported through a U.S. government grant or cooperative agreement*; and certain Afghans who are/were employed in Afghanistan by a U.S.-based media organization or non-governmental organization are eligible for resettlement processing. U.S.-based media organizations may also refer Afghan nationals who worked for them under stringer, freelance, and comparable arrangements. Afghan nationals eligible for a P-2 referral must be referred by an American citizen who works for a U.S. government agency or by the senior-most U.S. citizen employee of a U.S.-based NGO or media organization. Afghan nationals may not submit self-referrals. Note: Afghans who work/worked for sub-contractors and sub-grantees do not qualify for the P-2 designation. They may qualify for P-1. 🔔 Priority 3️⃣ - provides USRAP access to individuals of special humanitarian concern who have immediate family members in the United States who were admitted in certain humanitarian immigrant statuses. The immediate family members in the United States can initiate an application for their relatives even if they subsequently gained lawful permanent resident status or naturalized as U.S. citizens. Parents, spouses, and unmarried children under the age of 21 of the U.S.-based relative can benefit from P-3 referrals. 🔔 Priority 4️⃣ - (located in report) Report to Congress: PROPOSED REFUGEE ADMISSIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024 Report to the Congress Submitted on behalf of THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES To The COMMITTEES ON THE JUDICIARY UNITED STATES SENATE And UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE  https://lnkd.in/g5CSGxtM #exemptafghanalliesfromEOs #afghanallies #taskforceargo

Dear Mr. President: I am originally from Afghanistan. I now am a proud American who lives in the US. I am a former U.S. Army interpreter, known as ''Neo." I am the only guardian and sole provider for my two young sisters and a young brother who had to leave Afghanistan for safety after Taliban took over. I worked with the Americans during the war in Afghanistan, and afterward became a U.S. Citizen. I'm proud to be an American and proud to have voted for you in the recent election. My work with USFOR-A in Afghanistan placed my life and the lives of my family in danger. I am writing to respectfully request that the White House direct State Department to reinstate U.S. Refugee Assistance Program (USRAP') and Welcome Corps program for Afghan ally families. My three younger siblings, for whom I am responsible, have been vetted through USRAP and have a Welcome Corps sponsor group here in America. Despite your Executive Order giving State Department until January 27, 2025 to assist Afghan allies through the process, State Department immediately canceled the pending flights of many Afghan ally families, including my siblings. I do not believe this was the intent of your Executive Order. During my work in, I went on hundreds of combat missions. We captured key leader Taliban commanders. One threatened me that he will come after me and my family once they come back in power. Right after Taliban came in power in 2021, my house was searched multiple times when my sisters were home. He told them if I and my brother don't tum ourselves in there will be bad consequences. He also told them that since there are no men to take care of them, there are single Mujahidin that needs "wives," meaning the girls would become sex slaves to these evil men. After this happened, I moved my two minor sisters and my brother who was under 20 years old so they don't get raped or killed or tortured by Taliban because of my work with U.S. Forces. I was hoping that I'll be able to bring them to United States so they can live in peace. I was happy that under USRAP program they would soon be able to join me in U.S. My close friend in U.S. and four of his family members (as well as myself) are my family's "Welcome Corps" sponsors. We are committed to help my sisters and brother with housing and other necessities until they find jobs and stand on their own feet. I worked and saved money for them. I also raised money for them through "Team Neo" Go Fund. l have been supporting my sisters and brother and saving money for them at the same time, to make sure they won't need help from U.S. government or nonprofit organizations when they arrive in USA. After they waited for three years, they were finally... *more in comments* Neo, you are supported by Task Force Argo and all the advocates with loud and silent voices. #afghanallies #taskforceargo #exemptafghanalliesfromtheEOs #statedepartment #whitehouse Neo's story on GoFund: https://lnkd.in/gX9GEjTn

Public Awareness: What is Security Vetting for Refugees? "Refugees are the most thoroughly screened people who travel into the United States. Numerous checks by several government departments are built into the process to meet all security requirements, resulting in a rigorous, often years-long process, for every refugee who reaches the United States. This vetting ensures that if, at any stage, there is any doubt about the refugee’s history, affiliations, identity or credibility, the individual does not enter the United States. Below is a summary of each of these stages, required before refugees are allowed into the U.S. Stage 1. Less than 1 percent of refugees globally are referred for third country resettlement. Before being considered for resettlement, most refugees must first register with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). In making a referral, UNHCR conducts an in-depth assessment and background check. Only those who pass the screenings and have been determined to be among the most vulnerable and not a security risk are referred to the United States.  Stage 2. Resettlement Support Centers, funded by the U.S. government, conduct prescreening of all refugees applying for resettlement. During this phase, case files are created for those being considered. Stage 3. U.S. security agencies screen candidates and conduct biographic security checks, starting with enhanced interagency checks. Stage 4. Specially trained officers with the Department of Homeland Security, office of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, conduct in-depth, in-person interviews and collect fingerprints. Stage 5. The U.S conducts meticulous security screenings, which include: -biographic and identity investigations -FBI biometric checks of fingerprints and photographs -medical screenings. -other checks by U.S. domestic and international intelligence agencies including the National Counterterrorism Center/Intelligence Community and the FBI. -refugees from some countries, such as Iraq and Syria, undergo an additional review through the Security Advisory Opinion process. Stage 6. Applicants attend cultural orientation classes to prepare them for adjusting to life in the United States. All refugees are assigned to a resettlement agency who determines where in the United States they will first arrive and prepares to assist them in their initial transition." Source: The Center for Victims of Torture https://lnkd.in/gDuvvBpx They are seven Resettlement Support Centers (RSC) funded by the US in the following locations: -Africa -Asia -Austria -Eurasia -Latin America -Middle East & North America (IOM) -Turkey & Middle East (ICMC) +Fly away teams READY FOR THIS - Refugee processing can take one (1) year to over ten (10) years. #afghanallies #taskforceargo #SIV (Those denied SIV [for length of employment etc.] can be referred to the USRAP) #IV (Many IVs can also qualify for a USRAP referral.) #P1 #P2 #P3 #P4

U.S. Department of State Secretary Rubio, Thank you! We hope this waiver is the first of many. Allowing basic necessities to those in need is the first step. While we understand and respect the implementation of executive orders to accomplish this Administration’s agenda for the American people, we humbly ask for an exemption for our Afghan Allies from the following EOs: -Realigning the USRAP -Reevaluating and Realigning U.S. Foreign Aid Our Afghan Allies are immigrants and refugees who have honorably and faithfully served America. They were left behind. America must honor our promise. #afghanallies #taskforceargo #SIV #IV #P1 #P2 #P3 #P4 #leavenoonebehind #standwithafghanallies https://lnkd.in/gskzUGPV

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It is up to us. It is up to you. Task Force Argo has been dedicated to helping Afghans who honorably and faithfully served America, immigrants and refugees of all immigration categories, since chartering our own planes out of Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan in September and October of 2021. We took advantage of the chaos on the ground and successfully flew 2,100 Afghan Allies and American Citizens to UAE where they waited to be processed for onward movement to America. It was the selfless actions of some extremely brilliant and brave individuals that accomplished this heroic act. Your unwavering support and generosity have been the backbone of our efforts, enabling us to make a tangible difference in countless lives. Our work continues, especially in light of the recent executive orders. As we continue our mission, we call on your support once more. Your donations will go a long way in providing essential resources, support services, and hope to those in need. There is not one person in Task Force Argo who receives compensation for the work we do. We are all volunteers, and it is our honor to help those who were left behind. Join us in making a lasting impact. Thank you for standing with us every step of the way. We ask you to stand with us once more. We have received many requests for food both in the United States and in Afghanistan. We are also receiving pleas from those inside the State Department processing facility in Doha. Once again, it is up to us. It is up to you. Please consider donating. Thank you. #supporttaskforceargo #taskforceargo #afghanallies #SIV #IV #P1 #P2 #P3 #P4 #refugee #immigrant #donatetoday #makeadifference Click the link to donate. https://lnkd.in/ggjV6zhh

🗽 Important Information for Afghans Seeking Asylum in the US 🗽 If you or someone you know is seeking asylum in the US, it’s crucial to understand your rights and the process. Here are some key points to keep in mind: 🔹 Know Your Rights 🔹 Filing Your Application 🔹 Gather Evidence 🔹 Seek Legal Counsel from an Immigration Attorney 🔹 Stay Informed We share a USCIS video with you to explain more. https://lnkd.in/gifQtzXm Additional information found here: Information for Afghan Nationals | USCIS https://lnkd.in/g7aCYGXp

Response to Executive Order “Realigning The United States Refugee Admissions Program” #departmentofstate #secretaryrubio - We request an exemption for Afghan allies. #departmentofdefense #secretaryhegseth - "We will stand by our allies" Message to the Force #americancounciloninternationaleducation #blumontglobaldevelopment #careinternational #catholicreliefservices #foundationforinternationalcommunityassistance #internationalmedicalcorps #internationalrescuecomittee #johnhopkinsuniversity #mercycorps #minedetentioncenter #mobymediagroup #raytheon #sozointernational #specialinspectorgeneralforafghanistanreconstruction #theasiafoundation #turquoisemountain #unitednationshighcommissionerforrefugees #unitedstatesagencyforinternationaldevelopment #unitedstatesairforce #unitedstatesarmy #unitedstatesdrugenforcementagency #unitedstatesinstituteofpeace #unitedstatesmarinecorps #warchild #afghanistan #afghanallies #afghanrefugees #neverforget #leavenoonebehind #taskforceargo #honorthepromise

Dear Afghan allies, friends, and family: please share your stories with us. This is for all immigration categories and in all locations who are impacted by the recent executive orders. Thank you. https://lnkd.in/gchpyDCN

🛑 Another executive order titled "Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid" signed on January 20, 2025, introduces a 90-day pause on all U.S. foreign assistance programs. This pause is meant to assess the efficiency and alignment of these programs with the current administration's foreign policy goals. For Afghans, this could mean a temporary halt in U.S. aid, which might impact various humanitarian and development projects in the country. Additionally, the EO could potentially delay relocation and resettlement for our Afghan allies of all immigrant (SIV and IV) and refugee pathways. The final decision on whether to continue, modify, or cease assistance will be made after the 90-day review period, based on recommendations from the responsible departments and agencies. All of these impacts are subject to change. We will continue to share updates with you as we receive them. Many advocates continue to speak with the highest levels of USG. https://lnkd.in/gv2C_JHm