Answer: Liaisons should identify the children as McKinney-Vento eligible now, because they lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence at this time. The vast majority will continue to be eligible after they leave the base, as well. Even if they receive refugee or other support services, those services are time limited and often do not result in stable, adequate housing over the long term.
Afghan evacuees are not technically refugees. Legally, refugees have to go through a long process and get their status and visa approved before they enter the US. This didn’t happen in Afghanistan. Some people who worked with the US military do have Special Immigrant visas, but that’s a tiny minority. Most are classified as “parolees” and receive limited, short-term supports. Additional information, including links to materials in Farsi/Dari are available in this brief.