U.S. to evacuate Afghans who supported American military

Afghan interpreters and translators who worked with American troops and their allies will begin leaving Afghanistan by the last week of July, the Biden administration said Wednesday. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the evacuation program named Operation Allies Refuge would begin with special immigrant visa applicants who have already started applying for U.S. residency. President Joe Biden has faced pressure from lawmakers in both parties to evacuate the helpers as the military prepares to complete its troop pullout next month.

Any additional details on the process? Psaki declined to reveal how many Afghans would leave on the first flight or where they would go, citing security concerns. Some 18,000 Afghan nationals and their families have already applied for special immigrant visas. The administration is still deciding on a third country or U.S. territory that could host them while the visa applications undergo processing.

Dig deeper: Read Mindy Belz’s cover story about the rough road ahead for Afghan Christians.