Congress

The Lawfare Podcast: The Potential for an Afghan Adjustment Act

Bryce Klehm, Shala Gafary, Jennifer Quigley, Jen Patja
Thursday, August 31, 2023, 8:00 AM
What immigration challenges remain for Afghans who were relocated two years ago when the U.S. military withdrew from Afghanistan? 
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Yesterday marked the two-year anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Around 80,000 Afghans were relocated during the withdrawal, and many do not have a pathway to permanent citizenship here in the United States. To get a sense of those immigration challenges and the potential for congressional action on those issues, Bryce Klehm sat down with Shala Gafary, the Managing Attorney of Project: Afghan Legal Assistance at Human Rights First, and Jennifer Quigley, the Senior Director of Government Affairs at Human Rights First. They talked about the current legal status of those relocated persons in the United States, the challenges faced by those still in Afghanistan, and the potential passage of the Afghan Adjustment Act, a bill that could help alleviate some of those legal obstacles.

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Bryce Klehm

Bryce Klehm

@BryceKlehm
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Bryce Klehm is a third year law student at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He is a former associate editor at Lawfare.
Shala Gafary

Shala Gafary

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Shala leads Human Right’s First’s nationwide coordination of legal stakeholders responding to the evacuation of at-risk Afghan nationals by the U.S. government. She also oversees a pro bono program that provides legal screenings and representation to Afghans eligible for asylum, Special Immigrant Visa (SIV), and other forms of humanitarian protection.

Jennifer Quigley

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Jennifer Quigley is the Senior Director for Government Affairs for Human Rights First.
Jen Patja

Jen Patja

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Jen Patja is the editor and producer of the Lawfare Podcast and Rational Security. She currently serves as the Co-Executive Director of Virginia Civics, a nonprofit organization that empowers the next generation of leaders in Virginia by promoting constitutional literacy, critical thinking, and civic engagement. She is the former Deputy Director of the Robert H. Smith Center for the Constitution at James Madison's Montpelier and has been a freelance editor for over 20 years.

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