US rolls out tool for Afghans to reunify with family members

YOUR COUNTRY. ANNOUNCER: WHAT IT’S LIKE TO START OVER AND FIND NEW DREAMS FOR THE FUTURE. ♪ SOLEDAD: I’M SOLEDAD O’BRIEN. WELCOME TO "MATTER OF FACT." THE MIDTERMS ARE IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR, BUT THE DEBATE OVER THE FUTURE OF THE NATION CONTINUES. FOR REFUGEES IN THE U.S., THAT DEBATE INVOLVES THE QUESTION OF IF THEY’LL FIND A PATHWAY TO PERMANENT RESIDENCE HERE. A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO, 76,000 AFGHAN NATIONALS FLED THEIR HOME COUNTRY AND CAME TO THE U.S. GRANTED HUMANITARIAN PAROLE, WHICH MEANS TEMPORARY ENTRY WITHOUT A VISA, REFUGEE FAMILIES ARE LIVING IN A KIND OF LEGAL LIMBO. NOW, PUTTING DOWN ROOTS IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THEY STILL LIVE WITH FEAR. THEY SEE THE RETRIBUTION BY THE TALIBAN AGAINST THOSE LEFT BEHIND. THE CRACKDOWN ON FREEDOMS FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS. CORRESPONDENT JESSICA GOMEZ CAUGHT UP WITH AN AFGHAN FAMILY WITH FOUR DAUGHTERS, WHO FOUND THEIR WAY TO A NEW HOME AND NEW LIFE IN WISCONSIN. >> I WORK THREE DAYS A WEEK AND I ALSO HAVE CLASSES. SO IT’S BUSY, VERY BUSY. JESSICA: 19-YEAR-OLD ASMA IQBALZADA, AT THE START OF ANOTHER LONG DAY SHE AND HER OLDER SISTER ON THEIR WAY TO COLLEGE PREP CLASSES. HER YOUNGER SISTERS, OFF TO MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL ON MILWAUKEE’S SOUTHSIDE. >> IT IS NOT EASY TO LEAVE YOUR LIFE, YOUR HOME, YOUR PEOPLE, YOUR COUNTRY. JESSICA: ASMA’S FAMILY IS HAZARA, A MINORITY ETHNIC GROUP OFTEN PERSECUTED BY ISIS AND THE TALIBAN. THEY WERE AMONG THE THOUSANDS OF AFGHANS WHO RUSHED TO THE AIRPORT IN KABUL IN AUGUST OF 2021 AS THE U.S. WAS LEAVING AND THE TALIBAN TAKING OVER. LIKE MANY OTHERS, THEY HAD NO OFFICIAL PAPERWORK AND LITTLE HOPE. >> IT’S, LIKE, IMPOSSIBLE. OUR CHANCE WAS 0.000, IT’S JUST IMPOSSIBLE. JESSICA: BUT WHEN ASMA’S YOUNGEST SISTER, MARWA, GOT SEPARATED FROM HER FAMILY, A U.S. SOLDIER AND HIS TRANSLATOR TOOK NOTICE. >> AND THEN HE GRABBED MARWA AND HE JUST PUT MARWA TO HIS SHOULDER. >> HE SAID, YOU’RE SAFE, YOU’RE SAFE. AND YOUR FAMILY IS COMING. JESSICA: THE NEXT THING THEY KNEW, THEY WERE ALL ON A PLANE, LIKE THIS ONE, LEAVING BEHIND THE ONLY LIFE THEY’D EVER KNOWN. WHEN YOU GOT ON THAT PLANE AND YOU KNEW YOU WERE TAKING OFF AND YOU KNEW THAT YOU WERE LEAVING AFGHANISTAN PROBABLY FOR A LONG TIME, WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND? >> ACTUALLY MY MIND WAS JUST FROZEN, AND I JUST COULDN’T THINK ANYTHING. [LAUGHTER] JESSICA: TODAY, THE STRONGEST ENGLISH SPEAKER, ASMA IS OFTEN THE FAMILY TRANSLATOR. >> TURNED RIGHT, THEN TURN RIGHT. JESSICA: SHE HAD TO LEARN HOW TO DRIVE. >> I AM LIKE THE UBER DRIVER, LIKE MOST OF THE TIME I AM ON THE ROAD. OK, THIS IS YOUR ORDER. JESSICA: AND TO HELP PAY THE BILLS, GOT HER FIRST JOB, IN A CAFETERIA AT A MILWAUKEE MANUFACTURING COMPANY. >> WHEN I CAME BACK FROM WORK I WAS LIKE, MOM. FOR A SALAD IT WAS SEVEN OR EIGHT DRESSINGS. HOW CAN I MEMORIZE ALL OF THAT? JESSICA: WITH HER INFECTIOUS LAUGH -- [LAUGHTER] JESSICA: AND WORK ETHIC, HER BOSSES SAY SHE’S A WELCOME ADDITION DURING A TIME WHEN GOOD EMPLOYEES ARE HARD TO FIND. >> THE SKY’S THE LIMIT, SHE IS GOING TO GO PLACES. SHE’S GOT THE PERSONALITY, SHE HAS THE BRAINPOWER AND SHE HAS SUCH AN ATTITUDE, SUCH A GREAT ATTITUDE. JESSICA: BUT FOR ASMA AND HER FAMILY, TRANSITIONING TO THEIR NEW LIFE IN THE U.S. IS BITTERSWEET. HER FATHER, ONCE A BUSINESS OWNER, NOW AN AUTO MECHANIC. AND HER MOTHER, TEARING UP WHEN REMINISCING ABOUT HER WORK AS A SEAMSTRESS BACK HOME. BUT GRATEFUL, SHE SAYS, FOR HER JOB NOW AT A NATIONAL BRIDAL STORE, STITCHING TOGETHER A NEW STORY FOR HER FOUR GIRLS. >> DID THE CHARACTERS EMBRACE THEIR DIFFERENCES? JESSICA: A STORY THAT IS STARTING WITH THEIR EDUCATION. ASMA, WANTS TO STUDY BUSINESS AND HER SISTER, PSYCHOLOGY. AN OPPORTUNITY STOLEN FROM THEIR FRIENDS BACK HOME. JESSICA: WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FRIENDS DOING THAT ARE STILL IN AFGHANISTAN? >> BEFORE THE TALIBAN TOOK CONTROL MY FRIENDS ALL GO TO SCHOOL, WENT TO UNIVERSITY AND NOW THEY JUST STAY AT HOME. >> I THINK ABOUT THEM EVERY SINGLE DAY IT’S JUST ANXIETY, BECAUSE NO SCHOOL, NO HOPE FOR FUTURE, JUST STAYING AT HOME AND WAITING FOR NOTHING. JESSICA: WHAT DO THE GIRLS IN AFGHANISTAN NEED FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD? >> THEY NEED TO START PAYING ATTENTION. JESSICA: AND TO THE SOLDIER AND TRANSLATOR WHO DID PAY ATTENTION TO THESE FOUR AFGHAN GIRLS -- >> IF I CAN FIND THE SOLIDER, ALSO THE TRANSLATOR, JUST SAYING A HUGE THANK YOU AND THEY CAN UNDERSTAND HOW THEY CHANGED A LIFE. ALL OF MY FAMILY, WE ARE JUST GRATEFUL. JESSICA: IN MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, FOR "MATTER OF FACT," I’M JESSICA GOMEZ. SOLEDAD: "MATTER OF FACT" HAS BEEN ABLE TO CONFIRM THAT THE SOLDIER WHO HELPED ASMA AND HER FAMILY LEAVE AFGHANISTAN WAS ASSIGNED TO THE ARMY’S 82ND AIRBORNE DIVISION. WHEN AND IF WE CAN FIND OU

US rolls out tool for Afghans in country to reunify with family members

Updated: 9:10 PM EST Jan 13, 2023

The U.S. State Department rolled out a tool for Afghans in the U.S. under parolee status to begin the process of reunifying with their family members on Thursday, a State Department spokesperson told CNN.During the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 many Afghans fled the country on evacuation flights, fearful of the Taliban takeover. Due to the chaotic rush out of the country, which proved deadly for many Afghans, many families were separated from their loved ones.With this new form, tens of thousands of Afghans who came to the US around that time are eligible to apply for reunification with their immediate relatives. This specifically includes an Afghan’s spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21, according to the State Department.“In November, the Department of State announced the launch of a new resource for individuals in the United States who are seeking to reunify with their family members, depending on their immigration status or method of entry to the United States. Today, we launch Form DS-4317 for parolees to file to seek family reunification, including those subsequently granted temporary protected status,” the department spokesperson said.The new form has been posted by the State Department.Until now these Afghans in the U.S. did not have a legal way to bring their family members into the country to join them.“The purpose of these reunification resources, including the parolee form, is to help those families that are still separated,” the spokesperson said.The announcement was welcomed by an organization that supports Afghans settling in the U.S.“This impacts every Afghan the US brought here under parole status who still has family in Afghanistan eligible for reunification. Afghans who fit that description should complete the form now and Afghans in other categories should visit the family reunification landing page and follow the instructions there,” said Shawn VanDiver, a Navy veteran and founder of #AfghanEvac.“It took longer to get this done than anyone would have liked, but #AfghanEvac is proud to have worked tirelessly with the State Department to bridge the gap in the interim through our grassroots efforts,” VanDiver added.It is unclear how long it will take for family reunifications to happen once the Afghans fill out these forms, but VanDiver told CNN that it is proof that interagency efforts can come to fruition.One primary concern going ahead is the departure flights from Afghanistan that enable relocation to begin. While those flights have resumed this month – after being halted during the World Cup last year in Qatar – there are concerns among those involved in the effort that the flights could be halted by the Taliban in the future.This story has been updated with additional details.CNN’s Jake Tapper contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON —

The U.S. State Department rolled out a tool for Afghans in the U.S. under parolee status to begin the process of reunifying with their family members on Thursday, a State Department spokesperson told CNN.

During the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 many Afghans fled the country on evacuation flights, fearful of the Taliban takeover. Due to the chaotic rush out of the country, which proved deadly for many Afghans, many families were separated from their loved ones.

With this new form, tens of thousands of Afghans who came to the US around that time are eligible to apply for reunification with their immediate relatives. This specifically includes an Afghan’s spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21, according to the State Department.

“In November, the Department of State announced the launch of a new resource for individuals in the United States who are seeking to reunify with their family members, depending on their immigration status or method of entry to the United States. Today, we launch Form DS-4317 for parolees to file to seek family reunification, including those subsequently granted temporary protected status,” the department spokesperson said.

The new form has been posted by the State Department.

Until now these Afghans in the U.S. did not have a legal way to bring their family members into the country to join them.

“The purpose of these reunification resources, including the parolee form, is to help those families that are still separated,” the spokesperson said.

The announcement was welcomed by an organization that supports Afghans settling in the U.S.

“This impacts every Afghan the US brought here under parole status who still has family in Afghanistan eligible for reunification. Afghans who fit that description should complete the form now and Afghans in other categories should visit the family reunification landing page and follow the instructions there,” said Shawn VanDiver, a Navy veteran and founder of #AfghanEvac.

“It took longer to get this done than anyone would have liked, but #AfghanEvac is proud to have worked tirelessly with the State Department to bridge the gap in the interim through our grassroots efforts,” VanDiver added.

It is unclear how long it will take for family reunifications to happen once the Afghans fill out these forms, but VanDiver told CNN that it is proof that interagency efforts can come to fruition.

One primary concern going ahead is the departure flights from Afghanistan that enable relocation to begin. While those flights have resumed this month – after being halted during the World Cup last year in Qatar – there are concerns among those involved in the effort that the flights could be halted by the Taliban in the future.

This story has been updated with additional details.

CNN’s Jake Tapper contributed to this report.