Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Welcoming Evacuees Coming from Overseas to Mitigate Effects of Displacement Act of 2021” or the “WELCOMED Act of 2021”.
Welcoming Evacuees Coming from Overseas to Mitigate Effects of Displacement Act of 2021
A BILL
To authorize resettlement benefits for certain nationals of Afghanistan, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Resettlement benefits for certain Afghan nationals
Resettlement support authorized— Not withstanding any other provision of law, an Afghan entrant is eligible for any form of resettlement assistance, entitlement program, or other benefit (including services for unaccompanied refugee minors) that is available to a refugee (as such term is defined in section 207 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1157)) under Federal law to the same extent, and for the same period of time as any such assistance, program, or benefit is available to a refugee.
Definition— In this Act, the term Afghan entrant means a national of Afghanistan (or in the case of an alien having no nationality, a person who last habitually resided in Afghanistan) who was initially paroled into the United States pursuant to section 212(d)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182) during the period beginning on July 1, 2021, and ending on July 1, 2025.
Authorization of appropriations— There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary.