WASHINGTON – Representatives Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03) and Don Bacon (NE-02) recently led a bipartisan effort calling on the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security to provide urgent answers regarding the conditions and future resettlement plans for Afghan allies and their families currently housed at Camp As Sayliyah (CAS) in Doha, Qatar.
“Our Afghan allies stood alongside us, and we have the responsibility to ensure they and their families are treated with dignity and compassion,” said Rep. Ansari. “These women and children deserve access to medical care, education, and safe living conditions. We must uphold our country’s commitments and ensure these families have a clear path permanent resettlement and asylum. I’m glad to lead this bipartisan effort with my colleague, Congressman Don Bacon, to deliver the answers and accountability our Afghan allies deserve.”
“We made a commitment to the Afghan allies who stood alongside our servicemembers, and we have an obligation to honor it,” said Rep. Bacon. “We need clear answers about the care these families are receiving, particularly women and children, and the steps being taken to ensure their safe and orderly resettlement.”
With Afghan families enduring prolonged stays at CAS, the lawmakers are demanding accountability for the conditions they face and the services available to them. The letter calls for answers on access to essential maternal and OB-GYN care for pregnant women, routine pediatric services for young children, and safe, adequate living conditions. It also urges the provision of structured educational programming, English-language instruction, and recreational activities to support children’s development and well-being. Additionally, the lawmakers demand transparency around proposed third-country transfers, including clear assurances that any agreements uphold U.S. humanitarian standards, protect Afghan families’ well-being, and provide concrete pathways to safe, supported resettlement.
“More than 1,000 Afghan allies are waiting at Camp As Sayliyah, and most of them are women and children. They include family members of U.S. service members, and every one of them was brought there on an American promise. Representatives Ansari and Bacon are asking the right questions: Are pregnant women getting care? Are children learning? Is there a real path to resettlement? These families have kept their word to us, and they deserve clear answers and a way forward. AfghanEvac is grateful to every member who signed on,” said Shawn VanDiver, President and Founder of AfghanEvac.
“Last year, my team and I were at Camp As Sayliyah (CAS) helping secure flights and resettlement for hundreds of our wartime allies. Many of our allies, including the family members of U.S. veterans and service members, are still waiting for a safe path forward and still depend on health care and education at the camp,” said Andrew Sullivan, Executive Director of No One Left Behind. “We applaud this bipartisan recognition that a safe resolution for these allies, reached by Congress and the executive branch working in partnership, is in America’s best interest,” said Andrew Sullivan, Executive Director of No One Left Behind.
Ansari’s letter was cosigned by Representatives Don Bacon (NE-02), Jason Crow (CO-06), María Elvira Salazar (FL-27), Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Seth Moulton (MA-06), George Latimer (NY-16), James R. Walkinshaw (VA-11), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Adelita S. Grijalva (AZ-07), Ami Bera (CA-06), Deborah K. Ross (NC-02), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Emily Randall (WA-06), Jennifer L. McClellan (VA-04), William R. Keating (MA-09), Dina Titus (NV-01), and Sara Jacobs (CA-51).
The letter is also endorsed by One Left Behind, AfghanEvac, Afghans For A Better Tomorrow, Association of Wartime Allies (AWA), FAER, With Honor, USAHello, Center for Gender & Refugee Studies, Borderlands Resource Initiative, Human Rights First, Humanitarian Legal Assistance Project, Special Operations Association of America (SOAA), Refugee Council USA (RCUSA), Lawyers for Good Government, Feminist Majority, Frontera Federation, Keeping Our Promise Inc., Instant Aid, Cross Cultural Communications, LLC, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Hearts & Homes for Refugees, Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice, The 5ive Pillars Organization, Allied Shepherd, International Institute of New England, Dialogue Center for Resilience and Empowerment (DCRE), Paws Unite People Inc, SunEx Aviation, Our Culture is Giving, U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California, Afghan Scout Relief Fund, Afghan Advantage, Global Refuge, Union for Reform Judaism, and Immigrant Defenders Law Center.
Read the letter HERE and below.
Dear Secretary Rubio and Secretary Mullin,
We write to follow up on the ongoing transit operations at Camp As Sayliyah (CAS) in Doha, Qatar, where Afghan allies and their families remain in temporary housing awaiting final resettlement processing. In particular, we wish to learn more about the conditions faced by the hundreds of women and the young children currently in processing at the facility, and to request an update on plans for their safe resettlement.
These individuals were brought out of Afghanistan on U.S.-provided flights with the promise and understanding that CAS would serve as a short-term transit hub for temporary stay in the final stages of their processing for secure resettlement to the United States. With this sacred promise to the heroes who supported our forces in Afghanistan at the heart of our inquiry, we want to ensure that the most vulnerable among those at CAS receive the necessary processing support, health care, and clear communications on their next steps.
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Health and Support Services for Women and Children
Given the extended stays for many families, maintaining adequate specialized care remains a priority. We request an assessment of the medical services available at CAS, particularly maternal and OBGYN health resources for pregnant women and routine pediatric care for young children. Ensuring appropriate living conditions and consistent medical oversight for these families is essential as their immigration processing moves forward.
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Educational Opportunities and Developmental Support for Children
Beyond immediate health and security considerations, we also ask for an evaluation of the educational and developmental resources available to the school-aged children residing at CAS. Given the extended length of stay for many families, access to structured educational programming, English language learning, and recreational activities is essential to minimize learning disruptions and support childhood development. Ensuring there are routine learning environments at the facility not only helps prepare these children for integration into American schools and communities, but also provides critical stability and psychological support during a period of prolonged transition.
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Pathways to Final Resettlement
Clear and transparent communication regarding resettlement pathways is vital for maintaining the trust of our allies now and in future engagements. We ask for clarification on the open U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) P-1/P-2 applications and family reunification cases at CAS. Additionally, we request information on how the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security are handling any proposed third-country transfers to ensure the underlying bilateral agreements align with U.S. humanitarian standards and provide established resettlement support in the receiving country.
To inform Congress’ collaboration with your departments to shape an effective path forward, we
request your response addressing the following questions by November 27, 2026:
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What medical care is available for the Afghan evacuees at CAS, particularly maternal and OBGYN health resources for pregnant women and routine pediatric care for young children?
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What learning support is available to school aged children? What cultural and educational resources are available to prepare adults for employment and resettlement in the United States?
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How many individuals have ongoing USRAP referrals? What resources do your departments need to ensure all these individuals can renew their requisite documents and medical panels?
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What specific steps are your departments taking to communicate the status of resettlement options (including USRAP and third country agreements) to the individuals at CAS?
Thank you for your continued work to uphold U.S. national security by fulfilling our commitments to Afghan allies and their families. We look forward to working with your departments to ensure a swift, safe, and organized resolution for those at CAS.
Sincerely,
Yassamin Ansari
Member of Congress
Follow @RepYassAnsari on all social media platforms and visit Ansari.House.gov to learn more.
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