Joe Biden marks 2nd anniversary of American troop withdrawal

US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday, the second anniversary of the complete withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, that he has called on Congress to enact the Afghan Adjustment Act.

The legislation would give Afghan migrants who evacuated to the US, after the collapse of the former government, a chance to seek permanent residency in the country.

In a press statement issued by the White House, Biden said thousands of people from Afghanistan who sought refuge in the US after the collapse of the former government were now “making vast contributions across our nation.”

“And, just as they stood with us, I remain committed to standing with them—including urging Congress to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act so we can provide a pathway to permanent legal status for our Afghan friends and neighbors,” he added.

Biden noted that the US has welcomed more than 117,000 people from Afghanistan since the withdrawal in August 2021.

In addition, he acknowledged the American service members killed and wounded in the war. In total, 2,461 US service members died and 20,744 others were wounded in action between 2001 and 2021.