Pro Bono Response to the Humanitarian Crisis Created by the Fall of Afghanistan

When Kabul fell on August 15, 2021, there was a rush to evacuate not only American troops and personnel but also the Afghani people who had worked with the US. Thousands of people were evacuated and brought first to a variety of military bases. Due to outbreaks of measles and due to the ongoing covid pandemic, many Afghanis were on these bases for months. Then in November and December of 2021 they were sent to various refugee resettlement agencies throughout the US. In New York State we received 1900 people: 600 to Buffalo, 600 to Syracuse, 350 to Rochester, and 350 to Albany. The Afghani arrivals were given humanitarian parole, some might be eligible for Special Immigrant Visa Status, but most of them would need to apply for asylum by August of 2022 in order to gain any status that could allow them to maintain residency in the United States.

Speakers

Jacob Mantey

Sara McDowell, VLP of CNY, Syracuse, NY

Maria Veleri, ECBA VLP, Buffalo, NY