Official website of the Department of Homeland Security
Operation Allies Welcome (OAW) resettled the last group of Afghan nationals from Fort Lee, Virginia, the first of eight Department of Defense (DOD) installations established to temporarily house vulnerable Afghans, including those who are Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applicants.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it will exempt filing fees and streamline application processing for Afghan nationals who were paroled into the United States for humanitarian reasons on or after July 30, 2021.
Operation Allies Welcome (OAW) has completed a historic and nationwide vaccination campaign for measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), and varicella (chickenpox) to Afghan evacuees who are temporarily staying at eight military installations in the United States.
The DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties has worked collaboratively with a network of professional translators and interpreters that to develop these resources in support of Operation Allies Welcome, the U.S. operation welcoming vulnerable Afghans to the United States.
Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas and Senior Response Official of the Unified Coordination Group Robert J. Fenton, Jr. delivered remarks on Operation Allies Welcome, the all-of-government effort to support vulnerable Afghans, including those who assisted the United States in Afghanistan, as they safely resettle in the United States. President Biden has directed the Department of Homeland Security to lead these ongoing efforts.
In executing the Department of Homeland Security’s leadership role in Operation Allies Welcome – the ongoing all-of-government effort to resettle vulnerable Afghans in the United States, including those who worked on behalf of the United States – Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas met yesterday with more than 20 leaders of the Afghan-American community to hear their views and recommendations for how to successfully accomplish this resettlement.
On August 29, 2021, President Biden directed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to lead implementation of ongoing efforts across the federal government to support vulnerable Afghans, including those who worked alongside us in Afghanistan for the past two decades, as they safely resettle in the United States. These coordinated efforts will be known as Operation Allies Welcome. At the President’s direction, the Secretary of Homeland Security will work with representatives from across the government to coordinate our response and ensure unity of effort across the federal government.
President Biden has directed the Secretary of Homeland Security to have his department serve as the lead agency coordinating ongoing efforts across the federal government to resettle vulnerable Afghans, including those who worked on behalf of the United States.
President Biden has designated the Department of Homeland Security as the lead Federal agency coordinating with numerous agencies across the Federal government to relocate evacuated Afghans to the United States.
President Biden has directed the Department of Homeland Security to serve as the lead agency coordinating ongoing efforts across the federal government to resettle vulnerable Afghans, including those who worked on behalf of the United States.
