(TheIndependentStar.com) – The situation in Afghanistan is now a humanitarian crisis. Not only are Afghans who assisted the US military stuck in the country but there are still Americans left behind as well.
While US citizens can easily return to America, there is some concern for noncitizens and where they will go. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) thinks she has the solution.
She’s calling on the Biden administration to issue whatever number of visas is necessary for evacuees from Afghanistan. The representative feels the government should issue at least 200,000 refugee visas, and, according to her, this needs to happen right now.
“I would say the rock bottom is 200,000, but I think it should be whatever is necessary."https://t.co/9igCFRniCb
— IJR (@TheIJR) August 27, 2021
With an estimated cost of about $60,000 to $133,000 per refugee, the demands from AOC could cost US taxpayers up to $26 billion.
Some conservatives are suggesting it is not the responsibility of the US to provide for every single person fleeing the Taliban. The US is issuing visas for Afghans who helped our military, but the cost to house everyone would be too high.
Immigration already offers 34,500 visas for Afghan people. In July, the visa numbers increased by 8,000, and legislation in the Senate is proposing additional visa options for military allies.
As AOC pushes to bring more refugees into the country, others simply wonder about the Americans stranded behind enemy lines. Shouldn’t our main focus be on saving our people first?
Copyright 2021, TheIndependentStar.com
