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This bill — the Afghan Allies Protection Amendments Act of 2018 — would authorize an additional 4,000 Special Immigrant Visas (SIV) for Afghans who served alongside U.S. military and diplomatic personnel as translators, interpreters, or other support staff in fiscal year 2019. Afghans would be eligible if they worked with the U.S. during a period prior to the end of fiscal year 2021. Unused visas that have been authorized would carry over to future fiscal years, and unused visas from the Iraqi SIV program (which ended in 2014) would also be made available.

Afghans who assisted the U.S. in their country face threats on their lives from the Taliban, Al Qaeda, and ISIS which led to the creation of the Afghan SIV program, which authorized the issuance of 14,500 visas since December 2014 and will end when visas have all been issued.

","official_title":"To amend the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009.","short_title":"Afghan Allies Protection Amendments Act of 2018","popular_title":null,"short_summary":"Afghan Allies Protection Amendments Act of 2018\n\nThis bill amends the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009 to authorize, in addition to any unused visas in prior fiscal years, up to 4,000 visas in FY2019 for the Afghan special immigrant visa program. That program provides special immigrant visa status for Afghans (and certain family members) who are threatened because of their work as translators, interpreters, or support staff for the U.S. government or its Armed Forces in Afghanistan.\n\nThe bill also requires that the period of employment for Afghans eligible for the special visa end by December 31, 2021, and that Afghans seeking special immigrant status must apply to the Chief of Mission in Afghanistan by that same date.","summarized":true,"cost":null,"cost_commentary":"A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.","impact":"Eligible Afghans who worked with U.S. military and diplomatic personnel; and U.S. immigration authorities.","argument_for":"Afghans who risked their lives by working with U.S. as interpreters and in other roles face threats on their lives from the Taliban, Al Qaeda, and ISIS. 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Should More Visas be Available to Afghans Facing Taliban Threats for Working With Americans?