ARCH Act

This bill would require the Secretary of Defense, within 180 days, to set up a process for certain Afghan nationals who served with Afghan military, police, intelligence, or justice entities in support of the U.S. mission between December 2001 and September 2021 to apply to be classified as "Afghan allies." Applicants outside the United States, or someone acting for them, could apply through a secure online portal. The Department of Defense would review service records and its biometric and other data, and for approved applicants it would preserve a complete record for possible future use. Denied applicants would receive written reasons and could file one appeal and ask to reopen their case. No fees could be charged, and the process would run for at least 10 years.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Mike Rounds Republican sponsor
• 3 cosponsors