Biden approves $100m emergency funds to resettle Afghan refugees

The US is preparing to evacuate thousands of Afghan special visa applicants who are at risk from the Taliban.

US President Joe Biden has authorised up to $100m from an emergency fund to meet “unexpected urgent” refugee needs stemming from the situation in Afghanistan, including for Afghan special immigration visa applicants, the White House said. Biden also approved on Friday the release of $200m in services and articles from the inventories of US government agencies to meet the same needs, the White House said. The United States is preparing to begin evacuating thousands of Afghan applicants for special immigration visas (SIVs) who are at risk from the Taliban because they worked for the US government.