Albany County Government: Albany County Presents $50K To USCRI To Provide Citizenship Options For Hundreds Of Afghan Refugees

Press release from the Albany County Government:

02/17/2022 11:00 am

Hundreds of Afghan refugees in Albany County could see a pathway toward citizenship through a new partnership between Albany County and the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) and Albany Law School.

On Thursday, Albany County Legislature Chairman Andrew Joyce, Legislator Carolyn McLaughlin and the County Executive’s Office presented $50,000 to USCRI to provide critical legal services in conjunction with Albany Law School to nearly 300 Afghan refugees that are being resettled in Albany and Watervliet after fleeing Afghanistan.

“When I deployed to Afghanistan in 2007 as a Second Lieutenant with the New York Army National Guard to train the Afghan Army and police, the Afghans there taught me about something called pashtunwali. Pashtunwali is an ancient code centered on hospitality, forgiveness and justice. I will never forget how warm and welcoming so many of the Afghan people were to me and my unit during my time there. I am very grateful I am able to continue my service here at home, and to be in a position to extend our own brand of goodwill to the hundreds of Afghans who will now call Albany County home,” said Albany County Legislature Chairman Andrew Joyce.

“Albany County has continually proven our commitment to those who immigrate to our country, and today that commitment continues. These Afghan refugees have left their homes and traveled across the globe for a better life, but their journeys are not over. These brave individuals should not have to worry about having their lives turned upside down all over again because they lack proper legal counsel,” said Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy. “That’s why I’m proud to welcome them here with open arms by joining the County Legislature in providing a matching $25,000 to USCRI to ensure they are able to navigate the complex immigration process and start to rebuild.”

The funding will be used to help the Albany office of USCRI, the only refugee resettlement agency in the Capital Region, complete a comprehensive legal screening intake of 250 Afghans to assess and triage their legal immigration eligibility before their chances for permanent immigration status is lost. While some of the refugees will be eligible for family or employment-based immigration options, many will only be eligible for asylum, which requires applicants to file applications within a year of entering the United States. Without adequate funding, the future of the resettled Afghan community in the Capital Region would be uncertain.

“Albany County’s investment in immigration legal services for Afghan evacuees brings us one step closer to providing a pathway to citizenship for our newly resettled neighbors and their families,” stated Sara Lowry, staff attorney at USCRI.

Each screening intake requires hours of fact gathering, legal research and analysis as well as interpretation services for Pashto and Dari, the two most commonly spoken languages in Afghanistan. This is in addition to administrative tasks such as case management, scheduling and tracking.

Through the Justice Center at Albany Law School, students enrolled in the Immigration Law Clinic are representing several Afghan individuals and families, and the Immigration Law Pro Bono Society is continuing to help USCRI administer additional clinics to screen Afghan evacuees for immigration relief and match them with legal representation.

“Jacob Mantey, a third-year student at Albany Law School, wanted to help refugees affected by the U.S. withdrawal in Afghanistan who are resettling in the Albany area. He launched a project to support USCRI triage intake calls from the Capital District in the fall and since then Albany Law students have volunteered hundreds of hours to diligently address that backlog,” said Sarah Rogerson, Director of the Justice Center at Albany Law School. “These students are learning first-hand how to put their knowledge and skills to work helping others. We’re incredibly proud of the work they’re doing.”

This press release was produced by the Albany County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.