Afghans seeking humanitarian relief anxious over long delays

By PHILIP MARCELO
Associated Press

LOWELL, Mass. (AP) — Thousands of Afghans have applied for temporary admission into the U.S. for humanitarian reasons, but few have been approved since the Taliban recaptured control of their homeland. Federal immigration officials say more than 28,000 Afghans have applied for what’s known as humanitarian parole, but only about 100 of them have been approved. Afghan families in the U.S. and immigrant groups supporting them say the slow pace threatens the safety of their loved ones, who face an uncertain future under the hard-line Islamic government. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which administers the program, says it’s stepping up staffing to address the growing backlog.