{"id":37654,"date":"2021-07-19T17:36:51","date_gmt":"2021-07-19T17:36:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/07\/19\/army-post-in-virginia-to-host-evacuated-afghan-visa-seekers\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T03:19:22","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T03:19:22","slug":"army-post-in-virginia-to-host-evacuated-afghan-visa-seekers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2021\/07\/19\/army-post-in-virginia-to-host-evacuated-afghan-visa-seekers\/","title":{"rendered":"Army post in Virginia to host evacuated Afghan visa seekers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014 The Biden administration said Monday it would evacuate about 2,500 Afghans who worked for the U.S. government and their families to a military base in Virginia pending approval of their visas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The administration informed Congress that the Afghans will be housed at Fort Lee<\/a>, a sprawling Army base south of Richmond starting next week, according to a Defense Department notice sent to lawmakers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The administration announced earlier this month that it would soon begin relocating Afghan visa seekers<\/a> under an initiative known as \u201cOperation Allies Refuge<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The group includes 700 Afghans who worked for the U.S. and roughly 1,800 family members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese are brave Afghans and their families, as we have said, whose service to the United States has been certified by the embassy in Kabul, and who have completed thorough security vetting processes,\u201d State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby declined to say when the first applicants would arrive at Fort Lee but said they are expected to stay only several days before being resettled by the State Department and refugee assistance groups. Kirby said it is possible the Pentagon will offer additional domestic military bases for similar use depending on the pace of relocations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Monday\u2019s announcement came amid growing concerns for the safety of Afghans who served as translators and in other support roles for American troops and diplomats during the long war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The group to be housed at Fort Lee make up just a small portion of the number of Afghans seeking refuge in the United States. Roughly 20,000 have expressed interest in applying for \u201cSpecial Immigrant Visas\u201d to move to the U.S., but only about half are far enough along in the vetting process to be considered for relocation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An additional 4,000 applicants and family who have completed most of the application process but have yet to clear security screening will be sent to non-U.S. locations to await adjudication of their visas, Price said. \u201cOur plan is to take them to locations outside of the United States where they will be safe and where they will be provided accommodation during this processing period, which can last a number of months,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese initial relocation flights, the first under Operation Allies Refuge led by the State Department, will place America\u2019s commitment to those who have helped us into action-providing transportation to secure locations at which the requirements of the (visa) process can be safely and thoroughly completed,\u201d the notice said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t