President Biden arriving at the White House from a Marine One flight on July 13. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
The Biden administration will begin evacuating Afghans who assisted the U.S. military during the 20-year war in Afghanistan in the last week of July, a senior administration official said Wednesday.
Why it matters: Since announcing the full military withdrawal from Afghanistan, Biden has faced pressure from lawmakers and veterans to come up with a plan to protect Afghan translators and other military aides before the drawdown is completed late next month.
- Biden announced on July 8 that his administration would fly the Afghan nationals to host countries while they wait for U.S. visas this month, but he has not elaborated on further details.
What they're saying: The senior administration official said the first flights will be available for Afghan nationals who have applied for special immigrant visas and are already in the process of applying for U.S. residency.