New CBP Email Address for Locating I-94s
USCIS Resource: Asylum FAQ’s in English, Dari and Pashto
USCIS has developed a new Asylum FAQ resource for Afghan Operations Allies Welcome Parolees that is available in English, Dari and Pashto.
Update: TPS for Afghans
USCCB has received written guidance from ORR that Afghans who are already eligible for APA benefits incidental to their parole will not have this impacted by a grant of TPS under the March 16 designation of Afghanistan for TPS (or any subsequent extension/redesignation). Afghans remain eligible for APA benefits so long as their parole is valid. However, Afghans who did not receive parole (e.g., someone who was already in the United States during the fall of Kabul) who are then granted TPS do not then become eligible for APA services or other benefits conferred upon Afghans granted parole through Operation Allies Welcome. The Federal Register notice for the TPS designation for Afghanistan, which outlines the period during which applications can be submitted and the full eligibility criteria, is still forthcoming; no applications for TPS can be submitted by Afghans until this notice has been published.
It remains USCCB’s general guidance that a grant of TPS will not provide APA clients additional protection during the initial 18-month TPS designation for Afghanistan, since these individuals are already protected from removal and are eligible for work authorization as a result of their parole, with the vast majority having their parole until around August 2023 (identified on a client’s most current I-94). When this current TPS designation is near expiration, the Secretary of DHS will determine if a redesignation or extension of the designation is necessary, up to an additional 18 months. Assuming an Afghan Adjustment Act is not passed by then and an APA client did not get his or her parole extended or adjust status through some other means (such as a special immigrant petition), the client could then benefit from this potential redesignation/extension of TPS, so long as it includes a new application period. At the same time, to the extent possible, decisions about whether an Afghan should apply for TPS should be made in consultation with an attorney or accredited representative.
Affiliate Staff Procedures for EAD/SS Cards sent to Affiliate Office
PRM has reached out to confirm appropriate procedures for any affiliate staff who receive/distribute client documents that have personally identifiable information (PII), which include Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) and Social Security cards (SS cards). USCCB has uploaded a Document Receipt Form to the APA section of MRSConnect to assist with this process. Please keep in mind the following safeguards:
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When not in use, the Document Receipt Form should be stored in a locked cabinet. Before being given to clients, SS cards and EADs should also be stored in a locked cabinet.
- Affiliate staff must have procedures in place to ensure chain of custody and tracking of client documents with PII.
- All client documents with PII, including EADs and SS cards, should only be opened by the client (Name Holder) - affiliate staff should not open envelopes they believe contain clients’ SS cards or EADs
When clients come to the office to retrieve their cards, affiliate staff should:
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Retrieve the Document Receipt Form and client documents from the locked cabinet;
- Verify the client’s identity with identity documents;
- Give the document(s) to the client and ask them to sign the log sheet acknowledging receipt of their document(s) (note there is a date for client signature);
- Ensure the form is fully completed;
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Return the completed Document Receipt Form to the locked cabinet.
Affiliate staff should follow their agency procedures (and notify USCCB/MRS) if there is concern about loss or theft of client PII during this process.
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Please note that the Social Security Administration (SSA) has a webpage outlining the SSA’s definition of “proper applicant”; staff should review if there is a question about who can sign for SSA documentation.
Resources from IRC’s Center for Adjustment, Resilience, and Recovery (CARRE)
CARRE will produce a quarterly newsletter – the first issue is here, and focuses on Afghan evacuees
CARRE is also holding a 2-part webinar series, Supporting Children and Families from Afghanistan:
- Part 1 | April 26, 2022, 1-2pm ET
Over 70,000 people from Afghanistan have arrived in the U.S. since August 2021. Part 1 of this two-part series helps participants better understand the initial U.S. response, including the systems and processes that may have short- and long-term impacts on children and families. Presenters include Gul Hussain Shinwari, Senior Program Officer Afghan Placement and Assistance Program, Beth Farmer, Director of Safety, Education and Wellness IRC Technical Unit and Jess Dalpe, IRC Senior Technical Adviser Safety and Wellness. Register here.
- Part 2 | May 10, 2022, 1-2pm ET
In Part 2 of this series, participants will explore cultural and trauma informed integration practices for serving children and families from Afghanistan. Presenters include National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) providers and partners from Las Cumbres Community Services, University of Illinois Chicago and Boston College. Register here.
