ACLU: Biden Is ‘Failing at the Fundamentally Important Task of Humanitarian Protection’ in Afghanistan

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on Monday criticized President Biden’s handling of the Taliban’s takeover of the Afghan government, stating that the administration has failed to act with urgency and sufficiently address the humanitarian crisis both in Afghanistan and at the U.S. border.

The ACLU said, adding it “can’t continue:

The Biden administration is failing at the fundamentally important task of humanitarian protection, both overseas in Afghanistan and at our borders. The administration’s unwillingness thus far to act with the urgency required has already harmed many people.

The ACLU added that the protection must include “evacuation and resettlement of civilians such as human rights defenders, women’s rights activists, members of the media, Special Immigrant Visa candidates, and other vulnerable people”:

The ACLU’s statement coincides with President Biden failing to prioritize thousands of Americans stranded in Afghanistan over Afghan nationals applying for U.S. visas.

“Once we get more airlift out of Kabul, we’re going to put as many people on those planes as we can,” Pentagon press secretary John Kirby told Fox News, explaining it will “be a mix, not just American citizens.”

“But perhaps some Afghan [Special Immigrant Visa] applicants as well. We’re going to focus on getting people out of the country, then sorting it out at the next stop. It’s not going to be just Americans first, then [Special Immigrant Visa] applicants,” he added.

As Breitbart News detailed:

According to an anonymous source at the Defense Department who spoke to Fox News, the administration is considering fast-tracking some 30,000 Afghan nationals into the U.S., sending them to Fort McCoy in Monroe County, Wisconsin, and Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, using the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program.

The Biden administration, though, is seemingly expanding its intake of Afghans beyond those who would qualify for SIV status — typically interpreters and their family members — to include thousands who worked for military contractors, U.S.-based media outlets, or a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Afghanistan.

On Tuesday, Kirby confirmed that “up to 22,000” Afghan nationals will be fast-tracked to U.S. military bases.