FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 29, 2022

President Biden Makes Call from White House to Thank #AfghanEvac Volunteers

One Year Since Withdrawal, President Acknowledges Non-Profit’s Impact, Commits to Enduring Support for Afghan Relocation and Welcome Efforts

Washington DC – Today President Biden placed a phone call from the White House to the head of non-profit #AfghanEvac to convey his appreciation for the organization's work since the withdrawal from Afghanistan one year ago this month.

“President Biden shared his enduring commitment to welcoming our Afghan allies to the United States, a message I know will lift the spirits of Americans and Afghans alike as we reflect on this one year anniversary,” said Shawn VanDiver, Navy veteran and founder of #AfghanEvac. 

“The President pledged to maintain and expand the relocation and resettlement program for Afghan allies, and it’s clear he recognizes how big of an impact this will have on people’s lives, particularly Afghan women and girls,” VanDiver said. “We are incredibly honored that he took the time to reach out, and deeply grateful that he expressed that America’s work on this must continue.” 

During the twenty-three minute conversation, President Biden credited #AfghanEvac for its work with the U.S. government to support America’s veterans, civilians, and Afghan allies. President Biden acknowledged the pain people have felt in the 12 months since U.S. and allied forces left Afghanistan. 

VanDiver shared the story of his friend Lucky, an Afghan who faced certain death amid the withdrawal but made it to the United States with the help of #AfghanEvac’s civilian volunteers and the U.S. government. VanDiver also highlighted that Americans from the coasts to the heartland care deeply about honoring America’s promise to Afghan allies. 

The President and VanDiver discussed additional items, including:

  • Increasing capacity in the full relocation pipeline to include additional processing sites and the availability of affordable housing in American cities 

  • Continuing relocation efforts and, since this will take time, leveraging U.S. diplomacy to prevent another ethnic civil war that will increase the threat to the U.S., cause American allies to suffer, and/or destabilize the region

  • Ensuring the Afghans who arrive in the U.S. are integrated into local communities and welcomed by city and regional leadership as they seek permanent resident status or citizenship

  • Addressing the moral injury impacting the Afghans, veteran and frontline civilian volunteers, government employees, and all others involved in the Afghan conflict and subsequent withdrawal

At the top of the call, President Biden credited #AfghanEvac with much of the success realized over the past year and acknowledged that there remains much to be done.

President Biden also expressed his love for San Diego, where #AfghanEvac is based, and noted that he’d be happy to enjoy some ice cream with VanDiver’s two-year-old daughter the next time she visits Washington, D.C.

The call wrapped up with VanDiver thanking the President for his personal attention to the matter and expressing confidence that the more than one million Americans in and out of uniform who deployed to Afghanistan in support of the nation’s interests, the nearly 100,000 Afghans who have recently arrived, and Americans all over the nation would love to see him remain deeply engaged in the effort. 

The more than 200 organizations that make up the non-partisan #AfghanEvac coalition work hand-in-hand with government entities and advocate for ways to provide new Afghan community members with the stability they need to resettle and thrive in their new lives here. 

For twenty years, Afghan allies worked and fought side-by-side with U.S. and allied forces through the longest war in American history. The #AfghanEvac coalition is committed to ensuring that their service, partnership, and commitment to American ideals is honored.  

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