Biden’s broken promise to SIV holders: Part II

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May 17, 2022 View in browser   By Alex Thompson and Nahal Toosi Presented by Chamber of Progress Welcome to POLITICO's West Wing Playbook, your guide to the people and power centers in the Biden administration. With help from Allie Bice.  Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Alex | Email Max The Statement Department estimates as many as 160,000 Afghans allies along with their immediate family members are eligible to come to the U.S. through a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV). But the department can't guarantee that most of them will be able to leave Afghanistan by the time the president finishes his term in January 2025. "We will continue to build on the progress we have made to improve and streamline the SIV process, knowing we have more work to do," said a spokesperson when asked. In fact, at the current pace, many Afghans who were promised a visa in exchange for helping the U.S. military effort would likely still be waiting at the end of a potential second Biden term, in 2029. This slow-moving humanitarian crisis is not the result of maliciousness or only the actions of the current administration. Even vocal critics of the president credit the civil servants trying to address the delays as working hard. But those bureaucrats are set up to fail unless the White House and Congress dramatically reform the system, according to current and former administration officials as well as outside advocates for SIV eligible Afghans. "[The Special Immigrant Visa] is a well-intended program but it was absolutely not set up to operate in a crisis environment like we had," said RUSS TRAVERS, the former senior deputy Homeland Security adviser at the National Security Council who was the Biden White House lead for SIVs last year. Travers noted that the White House inherited visa backlogs and complicated bureaucratic processes going back two previous administrations, and started its term with few good options for evacuating Afghan allies amid U.S. plans to quickly withdraw troops from Afghanistan after a two-decade long war. "History didn't start on Jan. 20th, 2021. We were screwed from the start," he said. Travers said even if Kabul had fallen in December 2021, as some intelligence suggested, "there was no way we were getting all those people out. We threw a ton of resources at it to make the problem smaller. From my perspective, it was a slow-moving train wreck. We were going to fail, the question was how badly we were going to fail." As problems have mounted, so has the finger-pointing between the myriad federal agencies involved in the complicated SIV process of vetting applicants. Among them: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, CARE (Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts), and the National Visa Center. Some advocates argue the only certain way to speed up the process is through the White House forcing coordination. But the White House's National Security Council has taken a step back from the Afghan SIV issue since last year. Asked who was heading the interagency process on SIVs after Travers left in October, a spokesperson declined to name anyone. An administration official told us the State Department is the lead on SIV's now. Asked who was heading the interagency process on SIVs at the NSC, a spokesperson declined to name anyone. In December, Axios reported that NSC official CURTIS RIED would become the special adviser for Afghan resettlement, including evacuation efforts. Ried did not respond to an email for comment. A NSC spokesperson, who told us Ried had forwarded our message, sent us a "friendly reminder to ping us in the press shop rather than going to folks directly." (We said no.) JEFF PHANEUF, advocacy director for No One Left Behind and a Marine Corps veteran, told West Wing Playbook that "this effort needs to be elevated to an interagency task force, potentially out of the NSC, with authority over interagency resources." "The CARE team at the State Department is composed of dedicated, professional public servants working extremely hard to solve this problem," he said, "but they do not have the resources or authorities to effectively tackle the immense number of SIV-eligible Afghans that were left behind after the U.S. withdrawal." The CARE team is stretched thin. SCOTT WEINHOLD , a career foreign service officer who is the assistant chief of mission for Embassy Kabul (now operating as the Afghan Affairs Unit at Embassy Doha), has been leading the team responsible for the critical "chief of mission approval" for SIV-eligible applicants. In addition, he is now responsible for leading CARE's communication's team, according to the State Department. "Every day, Scott works to review and process SIV applications in addition to his other duties," a State Department spokesperson said. Meanwhile, others argue that the whole SIV process won't be fixed without a complete revamp by both Congress and the White House. "There are few problems in DC that you could solve by throwing money at them, but this is one of them," TOM WARRICK, a former official at the departments of Homeland Security and State in the Clinton and Obama administrations who helped set up the SIV program, told us. MEA CULPA: Last night, we inadvertently left in a line from Friday's edition that suggested Weinhold was on his last day on the job. He is not. We feel dumb about the mistake. We're sorry, Scott. TEXT US — ARE YOU EDGARD KAGAN, the senior director for East Asia and Oceania at the NSC? We want to hear from you. And we'll keep you anonymous. Or if you think we missed something in today's edition, let us know and we may include it tomorrow. Email us at westwingtips@politico.com.   A message from Chamber of Progress: New polling shows that American voters do not see regulating tech companies as a priority. Their top concerns are strengthening the national economy (38%), followed by controlling inflation (37%). By contrast, only 5% of respondents prioritized regulating tech companies. Learn more about the survey results here.   POTUS PUZZLER Which president gave the shortest inauguration speech, consisting of only 135 words? (Answer at the bottom.) The Oval WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE WANTS YOU TO WATCH: That's right, watch, not read. We're always mixing it up here at West Wing Playbook. White House officials promoted Biden's remarks today in Buffalo, N.Y., where he visited the families of victims gunned down in a predominantly Black neighborhood Saturday. "What happened here is simple and straightforward: terrorism. Terrorism. Domestic terrorism," the president said. "Violence inflicted in the service of hate and a vicious thirst for power that defines one group of people being inherently inferior to any other group." Watch here: WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE DOESN'T WANT YOU TO WATCH: Billionaire ELON MUSK attacking Biden on a recent "All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg" podcast episode. "The real president is whoever controls the teleprompter," Musk said. "There were a lot of people in the [Trump] administration who were effective at getting things done. This administration seems just to not have like the drive to just get shit done." TARIFF TIGHTROPE: The administration is divided when it comes to lifting or maintaining Trump-era tariffs on China, our GAVIN BADE reports. Since last year, Treasury and Commerce officials have pushed for tariff relief, as have members of the NSC, advocating that Biden cut duties on consumer goods while raising them on China's most heavily subsidized industries, like solar panels and semiconductors. But the president ultimately supported Trade Representative KATHERINE TAI 's approach to keep the tariffs in place, while trying to extract commercial concessions from Beijing.   DON'T MISS CONGRESS MINUTES: Need to follow the action on Capitol Hill blow-by-blow? Check out Minutes, POLITICO's new platform that delivers the latest exclusives, twists and much more in real time. Get it on your desktop or download the POLITICO mobile app for iOS or Android. CHECK OUT CONGRESS MINUTES HERE.     THE BUREAUCRATS McCAIN'S VIEW: CINDY McCAIN, widow of former Sen. JOHN McCAIN (R-Ariz.) and current U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture, spoke to our MEREDITH LEE about her role addressing global hunger and the challenges raised by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. "I'd been on the job about six weeks when the war broke out. So for me it was baptism by fire, quite frankly," she said. Rather than spoil the rest of the interview for you, read the full report here.  PROMISES, PROMISES: SYMONE SANDERS, MSNBC host and former aide to Vice President KAMALA HARRIS, repeated pressed Education Secretary MIGUEL CARDONA on why the administration is taking so long to deliver on its campaign proposal to cancel $10,000 per borrower of student loan debt. Cardona deflected, noting "ongoing" conversations with the White House and Justice Department about broad loan relief but not providing a timeline, our MICHAEL STRATFORD reports. BUTTIGIEG ABROAD: Transportation Secretary PETE BUTTIGIEG paid a visit to Berlin Central Station in Germany today, tweeting pictures of the visit. He wrote that the moment gave him the chance to see the country's "approach to multimodal infrastructure and meet inspiring volunteers helping tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees upon their arrival here." Cabinet officials have been on the move lately, as Treasury Secretary JANET YELLEN was in Warsaw, Poland, on Monday. FIRST IN WEST WING PLAYBOOK: CATHARINE YOUNG is now assistant director for Cancer Moonshot engagement at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, DANIEL LIPPMAN reports. She was senior science policy advisor in the office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Chemical Biological and Nuclear Warfare programs in the Obama administration. DOMINIQUE DUVAL-DIOP is now U.S. deputy chief data scientist at the Office of Science and Technology Policy, Lippman also reports. She most recently was associate director of gender and social inclusion at the Millennium Challenge Corporation, where she worked to advance its use of data analytics and geospatial analysis around gender and equity in international infrastructure programs overseas. Agenda Setting NEW TRADE AGENDA ALERT: The president is planning to unveil his trade initiative on his trip to Asia this week, our DOUG PALMER reports for Pro subscribers. Commerce Secretary GINA RAIMONDO confirmed Tuesday that the administration "will be launching the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework with the president when we're in Japan. … I've spent a lot of time talking to our counterparts in the Indo-Pacific and there's a large demand by them for the U.S. to be more present and to have an affirmative economic strategy. And that's what this is about."   A message from Chamber of Progress:   What We're Reading Joe Biden's designated survivor (Insider's Adam Wren) These Two Immediate Steps Will Help Alleviate the Formula Shortage (NYT Opinion from Suraj Patel) Where's Joe Biden and first lady JILL BIDEN went to Buffalo, N.Y., in the morning. Aides who traveled with the president included: Senior Adviser to the President MIKE DONILON, Deputy Chief of Staff BRUCE REED , Director of Oval Office Operations ANNIE TOMASINI, Press Secretary KARINE JEAN-PIERRE, and Director of Speechwriting VINAY REDDY, among others. The pair visited the memorial at the Tops Market, where this weekend's massacre took place, paying their respects to the victims. They also met with family members, law enforcement and local leaders at the Delavan Grider Community Center. The president delivered remarks. They headed back to Washington, D.C. in the afternoon, and hosted a reception for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in the Rose Garden. Where's Kamala She attended the Prime Minister of Greece KYRIAKOS MITSOTAKIS's address to a joint meeting of Congress. She and second gentleman DOUG EMHOFF also attended the reception for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in the Rose Garden.   INTRODUCING DIGITAL FUTURE DAILY - OUR TECHNOLOGY NEWSLETTER, RE-IMAGINED:  Technology is always evolving, and our new tech-obsessed newsletter is too! Digital Future Daily unlocks the most important stories determining the future of technology, from Washington to Silicon Valley and innovation power centers around the world. Readers get an in-depth look at how the next wave of tech will reshape civic and political life, including activism, fundraising, lobbying and legislating. Go inside the minds of the biggest tech players, policymakers and regulators to learn how their decisions affect our lives. Don't miss out, subscribe today.     The Oppo Book When Agriculture Secretary TOM VILSACK served in the same position during the Obama administration, he had seriously considered resigning from the post before the end of the president's term. The Washington Post had even reported back in 2016 that he felt like there were a lot of quiet days on the job. "There are days when I have literally nothing to do," he confessed at the time. Vilsack didn't end up resigning, and took the same job on for the Biden administration. So … we hope you're not feeling the same way now, Tom! POTUS PUZZLER ANSWER GEORGE WASHINGTON's second inaugural address was the shortest address given by a U.S. president in history, according to the White House Historical Association. A CALL OUT — Think you have a more difficult trivia question? Send us your best question on the presidents with a citation and we may feature it. Edited by Eun Kyung Kim and Sam Stein   A message from Chamber of Progress: New polling shows voters' top tech policy concerns are cybersecurity and data privacy. Only 7% of respondents prioritized antitrust action and only 1% prioritized changes to app store rules. In fact, the majority (58%) believe the pending tech antitrust legislation would cause more harm than help to consumers. Between June 2021 and March this year, 79,000 voters signed petitions urging policymakers to oppose legislation that would disrupt the use of tech products and services, endanger their privacy, and prevent online platforms from addressing hate speech and misinformation. During recent hearings on the pending legislation (S.2992) in the Senate, Democratic policymakers voiced similar concerns about the bill, including its harms to consumers, national security, and privacy. A round up of these concerns is available here.     Follow us on Twitter Alex Thompson @AlexThomp Maxwell Tani @maxwelltani Allie Bice @alliebice   Follow us

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