The Biden administration is charging American citizens stranded in Afghanistan for evacuation flights out of the country, despite the State Department telling the media that the government would not force anyone to pay.
Sources in Kabul witnessed the U.S. State Department charging Americans attempting to escape the “security situation” in the occupied country by plane, according to a report Thursday afternoon.
Hours later, spokesman Ned Price told the press that the agency had “no intention of seeking any reimbursement from those fleeing Afghanistan,” but did not deny that the State Department had been charging passengers.
“U.S. law requires that evacuation assistance to private U.S. citizens or third country nationals be provided ‘on a reimbursable basis to the maximum extent practicable,’” Price continued. “The situation is extremely fluid, and we are working to overcome obstacles as they arise.”
As of Thursday night, the online form that the local U.S. Embassy directed stranded Americans to fill out when requesting a flight home, states that fees can cost upwards of $2,000.
“Repatriation flights are not free,” the document reads. “All passengers will need to reimburse the U.S. Government for the flight. A promissory note for the full cost of the flight, which may exceed $2000 per person, must be signed by each adult passenger before boarding.”
The form explains that payments made by cash or credit will not be accepted, and those who can’t afford to pay “can sign a loan agreement with the U.S. government using their passport as collateral.”
Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY) announced she was in the process of drawing up legislation to stop the government from cashing in on their own countrymen, who are trying to escape a situation the White House caused.
“Biden created this crisis, now he wants to charge Americans who are desperately fleeing the Taliban? That’s wrong,” she tweeted. “We should not be making Americans pay for their ride to safety. I’m drafting legislation now to PROHIBIT the US government from charging Americans, period.”
“He has the money for his $3,500,000,000,000 socialist budget, but not to help our fellow Americans he abandoned in Afghanistan?” She concluded. “It’s time for Biden to resign.”
