National Security Leader Calls for Congressional Action Ahead of Anniversary of Afghanistan Withdrawal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Anna Nix Kumar  
akumar@monumentadvocacy.com

WASHINGTON – Following the Council on National Security and Immigration’s (CNSI’s) calls in recent weeks for Congress to pass the bipartisan Afghan Adjustment Act, the following is a quote from CNSI leader and Afghanistan veteran Francis Q. Hoang ahead of the two-year anniversary of the United States’ withdrawal from Afghanistan.

“It has been two years since the United States’ withdrawal from Afghanistan, and we still have not provided our allies who were evacuated a permanent pathway to remain in the U.S. and begin rebuilding their lives,” said Francis Hoang. “For years, Afghan allies put their lives and their families’ lives at risk to help the U.S. military in our efforts to defeat al Qaeda and the Taliban. By doing so they have earned the opportunity to stay in the country and obtain legal permanent resident status.

“While we were able to evacuate thousands of Afghans after our chaotic withdrawal, we have yet to fulfill our promise of providing them with safety and stability. By not acting swiftly to adhere to our end of the agreement, we are betraying our commitment and risking other potential allies from cooperating with U.S. forces in future conflicts, putting U.S. interests and national security at risk. With the increasing threat of nations who do not share our values, America cannot afford to find itself in this position.

“In order to demonstrate that America stands by its word, Congress and the Biden administration must pass the Afghan Adjustment Act to deliver on the promises made to our Afghan allies. The Act addresses security and vetting concerns, while providing a path for qualified Afghans to pursue permanent status in the United States.

“My passion for helping our allies comes from a deeply personal place. Nearly 50 years ago, I was one of those rescued children after the fall of Saigon and know first-hand the importance of having certainty and stability in a new country far from your own. After all our Afghan allies have done for us, we must pass the Afghan Adjustment Act for them.”   

CNSI Afghan Adjustment Act Resource Center:

• A Promise Made Should Be a Promise Kept; CNSI Leader Francis Hoang Testifies before Congress on Afghanistan

• National Security Leaders Send Letter Urging Congressional Leaders to Pass the Newly Reintroduced Afghan Adjustment Act

• National Security Leader and Afghanistan Veteran Calls on Congress to Pass Afghan Adjustment Act

• National Security Leader Statement Urging Passage of the Afghan Adjustment Act

• National Security Leaders Send Letter to All U.S. Governors Countering Misinformation, Underscoring Facts Surrounding Afghan Resettlement

• Gratitude in the Form of Uncertainty

• DHS and DoD Reports on Afghanistan Evacuations Show Need for Congressional Action
  

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About Francis Q. Hoang: Francis has over 20 years of national security experience, with service in every branch of the U.S. Government. He clerked for Judge Thomas Griffith on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and was appointed by President George W. Bush as an Associate White House Counsel and Special Assistant to the President. Shortly after leaving the White House, Francis mobilized in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM where he served as the Executive Officer of a U.S. Army Special Forces Company on combat deployment in Southeast Afghanistan. Read more here.