What we know: Manila agrees to temporarily host Afghan refugees 

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced on Tuesday, August 20, that the Philippines has agreed to temporarily take in Afghan refugees as they wait for their special immigrant visas (SIVs) to eventually settle permanently in the United States.

The announcement comes nearly two years after the US, a treaty ally of Manila, first made the request in October 2022. 

The full details of the agreement have yet to be made public, although the DFA earlier said it was “currently undergoing the final domestic procedures required for effectivity.” 

Here is what we know about the agreement, based on previous disclosures by Filipino officials, sources on background, American media reports citing their officials on background, as well as official releases by both the DFA and the US State Department. 

What is the SIV and why the Philippines? 

In 2021, US President Joe Biden authorized what many said was long overdue: the American military’s complete exit from Afghanistan after over two decades of waging war there. Although it had long been talked about, its execution was chaotic. Afghans and foreigners alike scrambled to exit the country, as the Taliban took over the capital of Kabul. 

Operations Allies Welcome is the Biden administration’s effort to coordinate the US federal government’s actions to secure “vulnerable Afghans,” including those who worked with the United States when it was in Afghanistan for over two decades. The idea is to help eligible Afghans to resettle permanently in the US. 

Before they are granted SIVs, Afghan nationals should pass security screening and vetting by the US government. Initially, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) deployed over 400 of its customs and border protection officials to Bahrain, Germany, Kuwait, Italy, Qatar, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates for “processing, screening, and vetting,” alongside other federal government agencies, to bring to the US Afghans who either worked with the US or are considered “vulnerable.”

The DHS considers the following eligible for SIVs:

• Afghans who “took significant risks to support our military and civilian personnel in Afghanistan” by working with the US or coalition forces, as well as their families. 
• Afghans who were journalists, human rights activists, human rights workers, or had careers “that put them at risk.” 
• Those who are Lawful Permanent Resident (LPRs — or those who have a “green card”), or Afghan family members of American citizens.  

But the Biden administration has struggled to keep up with a long list of people waiting for their SIVs. According to a March 2024 Reuters report, some 80,000 Afghans are still in the process of securing their SIVs as of March 1. Citing a State Department official, Reuters said only a fourth of the 80,000 were “cleared for final interviews and vetting outside of Afghanistan.”  

An August 2024 Washington Post report noted that “tens of thousands of Afghans who are potentially eligible” for the SIVs are “spread across the globe, often settling temporarily wherever they can get approval.” 

Three years after the Taliban’s return to power, the situation has only gotten worse.

Human Rights groups such as Amnesty International have flagged the Taliban’s “increasing restrictions on women and girls,” curtailment of the freedom of expression, and practice of enforced disappearances, torture, among others. 

“The culture of impunity continued, including for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Freedom of religion shrank further under Taliban rule. Ethnic groups, including religious minorities, faced increasing marginalization, prejudice and forced evictions. The Taliban enforced public executions and corporal punishment such as stoning and flogging,” Amnesty noted in its 2023/2024 report. 

Harsh sanctions imposed by the West have meant reduced aid to Afghanistan and the further crippling of its economy, among others. The sanctions, supposedly aimed at the Taliban, have the worst effect on the general Afghan population. The United Nations estimates that more than half of the Afghan population need humanitarian assistance in 2024. 

“The humanitarian response is incapable of addressing the crisis, especially because levels of humanitarian aid have decreased since 2023 as donors reduced aid in response to the Taliban’s actions,” noted Human Rights Watch in a March 2024 post.   

Who’s coming and how long as they staying? 

According to the same Washington Post report, citing US officials on background, around 300 Afghans will be processed in the Philippines. The same officials said the “program could be extended and possibly expanded after the initial few hundred Afghans.”  

Rappler sources said the total number of refugees who would be temporarily allowed in the Philippines would not exceed 1,000. Philippine Ambassador to Washington Babe Romualdez, a cousin of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., had said as much when negotiations were still underway. The same source said those who come here will likely be composed of Afghans who worked with or for the US. 

DFA spokesperson Teresita Daza told media on August 20 that the agreement only “covers a limited number of applicants for a limited period.” Their stay in the Philippines, based on the agreement, will be rather quick — no more than 59 days. 

Before they come to the Philippines, the SIV applicants will undergo “full security vetting” by Philippine officials and obtain an entry visa through the nearest Philippine embassy in Istanbul. Daza noted that the Philippines can still choose to deny entry to an applicant “as a result of the standard immigration examination upon arrival in the country.” 

Who will foot the bill? Where will they stay? 

Kanishka Gangopadhyay, spokesperson of the US embassy in the Philippines, said the Afghan applicants will temporarily reside at a CARE-operated facility in the Philippines. CARE stands for Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts. The Washington Post earlier reported that a “soccer field” had been cleared ahead of the Afghan refugees’ arrival.

The US will shoulder all costs to keep the applicants in the Philippines — including expenses for food, housing, medicine, and transportation.

“The US Government, together with the International Organization for Migration as facility manager, will ensure that the applicants, especially the children, will have adequate social, educational, religious and emotional support during their stay in the billet facility,” said Daza. 

Their movements will also be restricted to the billet facility. According to the DFA, they will only be allowed to leave the billet facility once for their consular interview at the US embassy in Manila. 

Neither the DFA nor the US embassy in Manila has provided a timeline of their arrival. After all, the finer details are still being ironed out by the two countries. Daza said President Marcos will need to ratify the agreement before it takes effect. 

Who’s against it?

Among the most vocal critics of the agreement — even when it was still being negotiated — is no less than Senator Imee Marcos, older sister to President Marcos and cousin to Ambassador Romualdez.

Senator Marcos, chairperson of the Senate foreign affairs committee, had choice words when the agreement was announced: “Napalusutan ba tayo? Sinu-sino ‘yang mga darating? Ilan sila? Saan sila titira? ‘Di naman ‘yan bilanggo, iikot sila sa buong Pilipinas? Gaano katagal sila sa atin, alam natin kung gaano katagal ang US visa at umabot ng higit apat na taon mga pino-process na Afghan? Sa dami ng problema natin, gusto ba talaga nating dagdagan?!” 

(Did this get past us? Who are coming? How many? Where will they live? They won’t be locked up, so will they go around the entire Philippines? How long are they staying here, we know it takes up to four years for Afghans to be processed? With all the problems we are facing, they really want to add this to the list?) 

The senator’s statement was released before the DFA, through Daza, issued clarifications upon the media’s request. 

The agreement, according to the DFA, will not require approval of the Senate since it is only an executive agreement. – Rappler.com