Lawmakers make last-minute push to include residency path for Afghan evacuees in omnibus package

Senate lawmakers from both parties are pushing to include an Afghan permanent status amendment into the end-of-year spending package currently being considered.

Tens of thousands of Afghans were released into the U.S. under a process called humanitarian parole -- created by Congress to be used on a case-by-case basis for reasons of significant public benefit or urgent humanitarian reasons. The instrument was used to avoid the special immigrant visa process and U.S. refugee admissions process, both of which can take years to complete.  Adam Shaw is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, primarily covering immigration and border security.

Advocates, including some veterans groups had called for the Afghan Adjustment Act, to be included in the omnibus spending bill before Congress, as evacuees’ status is due to expire next year. He can be reached at adam.shaw2@fox.com or on Twitter.