A group of 26 Senate Republicans is pressuring President Joe Biden to release information accounting for the number of Americans, green card holders and special immigrant visa applicants who remain in Afghanistan after U.S. troops withdrew from the nation Monday.
The coalition, led by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., wrote Biden a letter Thursday requesting answers to the questions they raised by 5 p.m. Sept. 7. They also requested the unclassified information be released to the public.
The news was first reported by Politico.
“Our immediate priority is the safety and well-being of American citizens, permanent residents, and allies who were left behind in Afghanistan,” the lawmakers wrote.
Among the several questions the senators are demanding answers for: How many U.S. citizens, green card holders and special immigrant visa applicants are still in Afghanistan? How many of them want to be repatriated to the U.S. or have been in contact with the State Department?
“Americans need to see that the United States will not abandon them to terrorists abroad forever,” the lawmakers wrote.
They are also demanding answers to how people who are not citizens, green card holders or special immigrant visa applicants were vetted before entering the U.S.
“Is the administration checking for potential criminal records and national-security concerns before admitting individuals to the United States?” the group asked.
More than 123,000 people have been flown out of Afghanistan since Aug. 14, and between 100-200 U.S. citizens remain in Afghanistan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this week.
Biden stressed during his address to the nation Tuesday that his administration remained committed to evacuating Americans out of Afghanistan.
“For those remaining Americans, there is no deadline,” Biden said. “We remain committed to get them out if they want to come out.”
More than 2,400 U.S. service members were killed during the war in Afghanistan, including the 13 U.S. service members who died during a suicide bombing last week.
The Republican lawmakers, in their letter, criticized Biden for the “poorly-planned” withdrawal.
The group of Republicans include a range from moderate Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, to conservatives Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Josh Hawley, R-Mo.
“The signatories of this letter may have differing opinions about whether the United States should have maintained a military presence in Afghanistan,” they wrote. “But we all agree that the arbitrary and poorly-planned method by which you withdrew from Afghanistan caused this crisis.
During his address Tuesday, Biden also defended his evacuation efforts in Afghanistan. Biden said “I respectfully disagree,” in response to critics of the U.S. withdrawal.
Republican lawmakers were not convinced and have condemned Biden for the chaotic withdrawal.
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