February 5, 2024
This information was prepared by Kids in Need of Defense on behalf of the Unaccompanied Afghan Minor Working Group, which is part of the Evacuate Our Allies Coalition, a group of trusted human rights, religious, and refugee organizations working alongside veterans and frontline civilians to relocate, welcome, and support the resettlement of as many at-risk Afghans as possible.
Who Are Unaccompanied Afghan Minors?
Unaccompanied Afghan Minors (UAM) are Afghan nationals, under the age of 18 on arrival, who were paroled into the United States as part of the Operation Allies Welcome relocation efforts organized by the U.S. during the Taliban takeover of the Afghan government. More than 1500 children were paroled into the United States as UAMs. Other children who were not classified as UAMs were also separated from their parents or guardians but were paroled into the United States in the company of relatives or other trusted adults.
Afghan children who were not part of the official relocation effort, such as children who arrived through private means or were paroled into the U.S. at the southwest border are not eligible to use the CARE relocation process.
