Snapshot: Workforce Diversity at the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs (2020)

 

Via State/OIG:

(U) EAP acknowledged the challenge of creating a diverse workforce, citing impediments such as languages that require 2 years of study and the expectation for officers to spend much of their career in the bureau and region. To address the underrepresentation in some categories, EAP established a Diversity and Inclusion Council in January 2020 and created a Senior Advisor for Diversity and Inclusion to recruit both Foreign Service bidders and Civil Service employees. In addition, the PDAS encouraged participation in the Diversity and Inclusion Council and sought to find diverse candidates to fill vacancies. The bureau also issued newsletters and cables to the field on its diversity efforts, provided diversity statistics including gender on bidding and assignments to the Department,15 and conducted outreach to Department affinity groups. EAP officials stated they would continue their efforts to increase diversity in the bureau.

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Snapshot: Immigrant and Nonimmigrant Visa Ineligibilities FY2020*

 

Via state.gov, partial stats on IV and NIV ineligibilities by Grounds for Refusal Under the Immigration and Nationality Act) Fiscal Year 2020*
The full document is available here (PDF).

3 Listed total ineligibility findings pursuant to the 2017 E.O. on Immigration are not directly comparable to refusal counts provided in the Department of State’s Quarterly/Monthly Report of Implementation of Presidential Proclamation (P. P.) 9645. Refusal statistics in the Quarterly/Monthly Reports do not include applications subsequently issued, and are reported cumulatively from December 8, 2017, the date of full P. P. 9645 implementation, through the end of the stated reporting period, rather than by fiscal year as in the table above. Counts of monthly new subject applications provided in the Quarterly/Monthly Reports include not only applications found ineligible on P. P. 9645-grounds, as above, but also those issued pursuant to an exception or waiver or refused on non-P. P. 9645 grounds. President Biden signed PP 10141 on January 20, 2021, ending the travel restrictions under P. P. 9645.

 

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Snapshot: Foreign Service National (FSN) Emergency Relief Fund

 

The Foreign Service National Emergency Relief Fund was created to respond to crises following natural disasters, civil unrest, and targeted attacks or “in the line of duty” incidents affecting locally employed (LE) staff working for the U.S. Government. It is one of almost 90 Gift Fund programs managed by the Office of Emergencies in the Diplomatic and Consular Service (M/EDCS) and is one of the two Gift Fund programs that exist solely to assist employees. Funding for this program is not appropriated and is sustained solely by private contributions. The donations are tax deductible and 100% of all contributions are allocated for disbursement directly to Locally Employed (LE) Staff. Contributions to the Fund can be made by Civil Service, Foreign Service, LE Staff and private sector individuals (via RNET).
Donations can be made via the following:
• Secure on-line electronic donations can be made directly from your bank account or by credit/debit card to http://www.pay.gov.
• Checks may be sent to the Department’s Gift Fund Coordinator’s Office M/EDCS, Rm. 7427-B, 2201 C Street NW, Washington DC 20520. Please make checks payable to the U.S. Department of State, designation for the “FSN Emergency Relief Fund”.
• DOS, LE Staff, and overseas American employees of other federal agencies currently being paid by State can make contributions by payroll deduction. One time or recurring payroll deductions can be made through the Payroll Customer Support Center at PayHelp@state.gov.  LE staff wishing to contribute should contact their management office for currency exchange assistance.  CGFS/EDCS has authorized reverse accommodation exchange for emergency fund contributions.  For additional information, please visit the CGFS/EDCS website.
Read more: 2 FAM 962.14  Gifts to the Foreign Service National Emergency Relief Fund

 

 

Snapshot: PP9645 and PP9983 – Affected Nationalities, Nonimmigrant and Immigrant Visas

 

On January 20, 2021, President Biden signed a Presidential Proclamation (P.P. 10141) titled “Ending Discriminatory Bans on Entry to the United States.”  This proclamation ended the travel restrictions under Presidential Proclamations 9645 and 9983 under Trump and directed the State Department to pursue the processing of visa applications for individuals from affected countries consistent with applicable law and visa processing procedures.  Guidance on State’s implementation of P.P. 10141 can be found here. Pursuant to President Biden’s Proclamation, the visa restrictions under Proclamations 9645 and 9983 are no longer applicable.
Below is a CA report on the affected nationalities for both nonimmigrant and immigrant visas from December 8, 2017 t0 January 20, 2021. The full report is available here.

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Snapshot: @StateDept Entities Involved in Lebanon Evacuation (2006)

 

General Mark Milley apparently told lawmakers on a briefing call that the Afghanistan evacuation is “This is probably going to end up as the second largest non-combatant evacuation operation ever conducted by the United States.” How close could this be to becoming the largest NEO?
One of the largest evacuations conducted by the State Department with DOD prior to the current one is the evacuation of US citizens from Lebanon in 2006. Nearly 15,000 American citizens were evacuated from Lebanon via Cyprus between July and August 2006.

 

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Snapshot: Afghanistan Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) Issued FY2000-FY2020

 

 

Fiscal Year Visa Statistics
Oct 1-Sept 30

SIVs Issued to Afghanistan

Administration

DPB/Operations Allies Refuge

2,000
(Note: No public data on how many of evacuees are SIVs)

Biden

SIVs FY2021

Jan 20/2021-Sept 30/2021
Oct 1/2020-Jan 20/2021

(Note: Total SIVs will not be available until after 9/30/21)

Biden
Trump

SIVs FY2020
Oct 1-Sept 30

7,878

Trump

SIVs FY2019
Oct 1-Sept 30

9,805

Trump

SIVs FY2018
Oct 1-Sept 30

7,431

Trump

SIVs FY2017

Jan 20/2017-Sept 30/2017
Oct 1/2016-Jan 20/2017

16,370

Trump
Obama

SIVs FY2016
Oct 1-Sept 30

12,298

Obama

SIVs FY2015
Oct 1-Sept 30

6,884

Obama

SIVs FY2014
Oct 1-Sept 30

9,283

Obama

SIVs FY2013
Oct 1-Sept 30

1,597

Obama

SIVs FY2012
Oct 1-Sept 30

237

Obama

SIVs FY2011
Oct 1-Sept 30

121

Obama

SIVs FY2010
Oct 1-Sept 30

111

Obama

SIVs FY2009

Jan 20/2009-Sept 30/2009
Oct 1/2008-Jan 20/2009

680

Obama

Bush GW

SIVs FY2008

Oct 1-Sept 30

817

Bush GW

SIVs FY2007

Oct 1-Sept 30

161

Bush GW

SIVs FY2006

Oct 1-Sept 30

1

Bush GW

SIVs FY2005

Oct 1-Sept 30

1

Bush GW

SIVs FY2004

Oct 1-Sept 30

4

Bush GW

SIVs FY2003

Oct 1-Sept 30

2

Bush GW

SIVs FY2002

Oct 1-Sept 30

0

Bush GW

SIVs FY2001

Jan 20/2001-Sept 30/2001
Oct 1/2000-Jan 20/2001

5

Bush GW
Clinton

SIVs FY2000

Oct 1-Sept 30

3

Clinton

TOTAL SIVs ISSUED

73,689

Compiled by @diplopundit

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