Report: At Least 700 Afghans Have Fled U.S. Military Bases

At least 700 Afghans have fled United States military bases before having been resettled by refugee contractors, new figures reveal.

The figures, exclusively reported by Reuters, detail how “many hundreds” of Afghans brought to the U.S. as part of President Joe Biden’s massive resettlement operation are prematurely leaving eight military bases in Texas, Wisconsin, Virginia, Indiana, New Mexico, and New Jersey.

Reuters reports:

Something unexpected is happening at U.S. military bases hosting Afghan evacuees: Many hundreds of them are simply leaving before receiving U.S. resettlement services, two sources familiar with the data told Reuters. [Emphasis added]

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In a statement, a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson declined to comment on the figures provided to Reuters by sources but said people who had left the bases “generally” had ties to the United States, like family members of friends, and resources to support themselves. [Emphasis added]

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Immigration experts say Afghans who leave the bases are not breaking U.S. laws and military officials have no legal authority to hold law-abiding Afghans against their will at any of the eight locations hosting 53,000 Afghans who fled the Taliban on U.S. evacuation flights. [Emphasis added]

Currently, there are about 40,800 Afghans on the bases, though the number could be dwindling. – READ MORE