H.R. 6443: Afghan SIV Termination and Security Review Act of 2025

This bill, known as the Afghan SIV Termination and Security Review Act of 2025, proposes several significant changes concerning the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program. Here’s a breakdown of the key components of the bill:

Termination of the Afghan SIV Program

The bill aims to completely terminate the Afghan SIV program. This includes:

• Repeal of the existing law: The law that created the Afghan SIV program will be repealed.
• No new applications: Starting from the enactment date of this bill, no new applications for Afghan SIVs will be accepted.
• Closure of pending applications: All applications that are still in the process as of the bill's enactment will be canceled and will not be processed.

Security Reassessment of Current Beneficiaries

The bill mandates that the Department of Homeland Security, in cooperation with other agencies, conducts a security reassessment for all individuals already granted SIV status. This reassessment will include:

• Biometric re-enrollment
• Updated checks against criminal, terrorism, and intelligence databases
• Verification of identity documents used during the initial application
• Review of the documented service to the U.S. Government or its contractors
• In-person interviews if there are indications of national security concerns

The reassessment process must be completed within 18 months of the law being enacted.

Review for Removability

The bill requires that each SIV beneficiary undergoes a review to determine if they:

• Still qualify for their SIV status
• Are inadmissible or removable under U.S. immigration laws
• Have committed fraud or misrepresented their status during the application process
• Present any concerns regarding national security or public safety

If an individual is found to fall into any of these categories, the Secretary of Homeland Security must initiate the process to rescind their SIV status and begin removal proceedings, while ensuring due process is followed.

Prohibition on Reinstatement

The bill specifies that any SIV status that is rescinded or terminated under this new law cannot be reinstated or reissued under any authority from the original Afghan Allies Protection Act.

Reallocation of Funding

Funds that were previously allocated for the Afghan SIV Program will be redirected to the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program, which is managed by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Relevant Companies

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