Report Contents
What OIG Reviewed
In 2021, the Department of State (Department) implemented the Afghan Placement and Assistance (APA) Program to facilitate the resettlement of Afghan nationals in communities around the United States in conjunction with nine resettlement agencies. The domestic resettlement framework implemented by the APA Program was influenced largely by the Reception and Placement (R&P) Program, a component of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). The Afghans admitted through the APA are sponsored by the same nine resettlement agencies that participate in the R&P Program.
OIG initiated this review to examine the challenges faced by the nine agencies in implementing the APA Program and to identify any lessons learned for future resettlement efforts.
What OIG Found
Resettlement agencies reported that the APA Program involved some of the most significant challenges that they had ever faced. Many of these challenges were external, such as the fast pace and large number of Afghan arrivals and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the decrease in refugee admissions under the prior administration, many of the agencies and their affiliates did not have adequate staffing for the number of arrivals they were receiving and had to hire staff quickly to implement the APA Program. In addition, the fast pace of arrivals, the lack of available housing, difficulty obtaining necessary documentation for the APA participants, and minimal pre-arrival cultural orientation also presented challenges for resettlement agencies.
The resettlement agencies did report that the Department provided sufficient funding for the APA Program. The agencies also reported positive impressions of the coordination between the Department and other government agencies in implementing the APA Program.