12/21/2022
I have tried to explain the Importance of S.4787 Afghan Adjustment Act (AAA), in few paragraphs. it’s not limited to what I explained but it’s some of the importance.
As we all know, there is a group discussion going on in DC circles regarding the Afghan Adjustment Act (AAA) that requires Congress approval to grant status to the new Afghan evacuees. In this short statement, I have endeavored to describe why this act is vital for the new evacuees as well as the government.
Approval of AAA can impact the evacuees as a direct group and government entities as the indirect on an equal footing as follows:
Direct Impact (Individual Interests): The new Afghans evacuees as a direct group will receive the most benefit out of this act. If the act is approved by the Congress, the new Afghan evacuees will acquire as according to a clear status identified by law and in a legalized form like other legal immigrants. With a clear entitlement and ascertained fate, the concern of being a refugee and remaining stressful with respect to the consequences of asylum status uncertainty would decrease in them. This would in turn enable them to concentrate on a new life and double their efforts for a speedy reintegration into society.
The approval will provide the Afghan evacuees with the following benefits:
- Peace of mind: Is the pivotal part of the act. Since their arrival to the US, 99 percent of Afghan evacuees consistently feel psychologically disturbed on account of their status uncertainty. Thus, extension of the act will give them mental stability, psychological relaxation, and a ray of hope about realization of their dreams.
- Community involvement: The act will equally enable the evacuees to join and enjoy the community opportunities as they no longer feel branded only parole status refugees. They can easily take part in any activities and opportunities to boost their skills and reinvigorate their faculty. Similarly, a win-win situation will prevail for both Afghans and companies i.e. Afghan can get hired by good companies and companies in return manage to secure cost-effective skilled human capital;
- Family reunification: Another advantageous opportunity the act will provide to evacuees is to grant them ability of appeal to rejoin their family members who are still stuck in Afghanistan.
- Financial stability: The biggest challenge ahead of evacuees is financial stability. To survive life costs and help their families back home, they need to have income. For this purpose, if they are left without legally identified status, in most of the cases they are denied good-income jobs, and majority of them will end up in menial jobs against cash in stores, restaurants and the like with very low wage. On the other hand, earning (black money) not only deter them from becoming financially stable, but also hampers them to turn into recognized responsible and active community members, pay taxes and build a good financial status/credibility before the government. As a result, the above stated points enable the evacuees to find good status before the law and work legally in this country.
Indirect Impact (Government Entities & Community)
On the other side of equation and as the act is directly related to government affairs, it impacts the government relationship with the new arrivals. The government as a responsible institution with legal commitments against every citizen, has to ensure the evacuees rudimentary livelihoods such as safety, job, community commitment, accommodation and so on.
In return, with approval of the act, government can equally redeem specific benefits utilizing the skill and energy of the evacuees not limited to the below points:
- Financial returns (Tax): As discussed before, evacuees in most cases preferably work for companies that pay them cash, because they still do not hold sufficient identification document to complete bank payment requirements. With the act approved, evacuees can work in credible companies against good income, and add measurable tax returns at end of every month to the Internal Revenue Service and government treasury. In a recent report by International Rescue Committee (IRC) on August 2022, the new evacuees are projected to contribute nearly $200 million in the first year of work. This means if they are granted proper status, the return would increase remarkably.
- Good Saving on Commonwealth Budgets: By granting status to the evacuees, in essence, government will enable them to actively reintegrate into the job market and apply based on their skills and talent. Once they start earning good income, they will drop the tendency to opt for the commonwealth support. This way, the government can cover the needy groups with the accrued budget which will in return tremendously reduce the level of poverty in communities and so on…
life is not all about yourself, you have responsibilities against those around you. کامیابی و موفقیت از خود شخص ریشه گرفته و به تمام جامعه سرایت وبرگ وگل میدهد.
