A group of 51 bipartisan lawmakers, led by Reps. Jason Crow, D-Colo., and Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, are urging House negotiators to maintain funding for the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program in the Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations package.
The lawmakers argue that authorizing new Afghan SIVs is critical to vetting and relocating qualified Afghan principal applicants currently in the processing pipeline. The program is a “life-saving path to safety for Afghan nationals who face serious danger as a result of their work alongside U.S. troops, diplomats, and contractors.”
The program was first enacted in 2009, but saw new importance after the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, which precipitated the U.S.’s withdrawal from the country. Congress has authorized additional visas under the program every year since FY 2019.
President-elect Trump has promised to work towards steep spending cuts in the coming federal funding fights, with some in his orbit arguing for him to have greater control over how congressionally appropriated funds are spent. However, the lawmakers argue that preserving the SIV program is crucial for the safety and security of Afghan nationals.
The 51 lawmakers’ letter was delivered to House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., and other top appropriators, as they continue to negotiate federal funding for the remainder of FY 2025. The lawmakers are calling for the preservation of the SIV program, which they believe is critical to vetting and relocating qualified Afghan principal applicants currently in the processing pipeline.