Good afternoon Safe Passages Family Reunification Providers,
We recently received the following information below from ORR:
Please see two policy letters on ORR’s authority to serve Afghan-Humanitarian Parolees and on additional eligibility categories and documentation requirements for Afghan nationals. These two letters will also be posted shortly on the ORR web page: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/orr/policy-guidance/policy-letters
This letter informs ORR grantees that per the Afghanistan Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022, and effective September 30, 2021, Congress has authorized citizens or nationals of Afghanistan paroled into the United States between July 31, 2021, and September 30, 2022, to receive mainstream benefits (e.g., TANF, Medicaid, SNAP, SSI), resettlement assistance, and other benefits available to refugees. Additionally, a spouse or child of any Afghan humanitarian parolee described above, who is paroled into the United States after September 30, 2022, is entitled to the same benefits and assistance. The benefits and assistance will be available until March 31, 2023, or the end of an individual’s parole term, whichever is later.
ORR Policy Letter (PL) 16-01, Documentation Requirements for the Refugee Resettlement Program, announced a documentation guide, Status and Documentation Requirements for the ORR Refugee Resettlement Program (hereinafter Documentation Guide), that outlined the statuses and categories that confer eligibility for ORR’s Refugee Resettlement Program (RRP) benefits and the documentation that is needed to show an individual is eligible. This PL augments ORR PL 16-01 by adding information on acceptable documentation that would qualify an Afghan individual for RRP benefits. ORR rescinds ORR PL 21-07.
Respectfully,
Nikeita Lawrence, LMSW
Children's Services Specialist
USCCB/MRS/Children's Services
202-541-3341
