Civic Register
| 7.30.21

Afghans Who Aided U.S. Military Against the Taliban Begin to Arrive in America as Evacuation Ramps Up
How do you feel about the Afghan evacuation process?
What’s the story?
- More than 200 Afghans who worked with the American-led military coalition as interpreters or in other roles in the fight against the Taliban and al Qaeda touched down in the U.S. on Friday morning. They are the first of thousands who will be evacuated from war-torn Afghanistan amid death threats from the resurgent Taliban as the U.S. aims to complete the military withdrawal by the end of August. Numerous interpreters have been killed this year, including one who was reportedly beheaded by the Taliban in May.
- This first group of Afghans includes former interpreters, contractors, and their families who had previously undergone background checks and security screenings as part of the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) application process.
- They will stay at the Fort Lee Army base in Virginia for about a week while their SIV paperwork is completed and they undergo medical exams before they’re resettled as refugees at locations around the country that have remained unspecified for security purposes.
- Fort Lee will temporarily house between 2,000 and 3,000 Afghans as additional groups are evacuated. There are a total of about 18,000 Afghans seeking SIVs as “principal applicants” who will be joined by tens of thousands of their family members. Many of those whose applications are in earlier stages of the process will be evacuated to a third country while they’re vetted, starting with a group of about 4,000 in the next few weeks.
- U.S. officials have been negotiating with several countries about temporarily hosting Afghans while their applications are processed, including Persian Gulf nations Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain, along with Central Asian countries Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. No commitments have yet been announced between the U.S. government and a partner country.
- President Joe Biden released a statement marking the occasion:
“Today is an important milestone as we continue to fulfill our promise to the thousands of Afghan nationals who served shoulder-to-shoulder with American troops and diplomats over the last 20 years in Afghanistan. This morning, the first flight of Operation Allies Refuge has arrived in the United States, carrying Afghans who are eligible for Special Immigrant Visas (SIV) and their families. These arrivals are just the first of many as we work quickly to relocate SIV-eligible Afghans out of harm’s way ― to the United States, to U.S. facilities abroad, or to third countries ― so that they can wait in safety while they finish their visa applications.”
- Biden’s statement concluded, “Most of all, I want to thank these brave Afghans for standing with the United States, and today, I am proud to say to them: 'Welcome home.'”
- Rep. Michael Waltz (R-FL), a former Green Beret who served in Afghanistan and is part of a bipartisan working group that has advanced legislation to help Afghans quickly access SIVs, posted the following tweet thread on Thursday about the arrival of the first flight:
“The first flight of Afghan SIV interpreters is reported to land in Washington DC this evening. This is terrific news even though it’s months after the Taliban began its rampage; ruthlessly murdering anyone perceived to stand against them. I understand the Biden Admin is not allowing the press access to the interpreters as they arrive. The American people deserve to see what’s happening. It’s important to highlight the significant plight these refugees face following a U.S. withdrawal. There is a way to give access to reporters while also protecting identities ― the press do not want to put these Afghans’ families lives in jeopardy. Further, members of Congress who recently passed legislation authorizing more Visas should be welcoming our Afghan allies to America tonight. It is a shame and a mistake for the Biden Admin to not allow more access to this good news story.”
Congress Acts on Afghan SIVs
- Lawmakers in Congress have in recent weeks cast votes on several bills which aim to accelerate the evacuation of Afghans and the processing of their SIV applications.
- In late June, the House passed the HOPE for Afghan SIVs Act in a bipartisan 366-46 en bloc vote with other bills, which would provide a one-year waiver of the requirement that SIV recipients undergo a medical exam prior to their admission to the U.S. and instead allow them to do so within 90 days of coming to America.
- Last week, the House passed the ALLIES Act on a bipartisan 407-16 vote. The bill would increase the cap on Afghan SIVs by 8,000 to a total of 18,000; broaden the SIV eligibility pool by removing the requirement that Afghans have engaged in “sensitive and trusted” employment with the U.S.-led coalition; end the requirement for a “credible sworn statement” about threats faced.
- On Thursday, the major provisions of both the ALLIES Act and HOPE for Afghan SIVs Act were bundled with emergency funding for the Capitol Police and National Guard in a bill the Senate passed 98-0 and the House approved 416-11 later in the day. The package is expected to be signed by the president as soon as Friday.
RELATED READING
- Biden Moves Up Afghanistan Withdrawal Date From September 11th to August 31st
- U.S. Military Withdraws From Bagram Air Base as Afghanistan Drawdown Continues
- Biden Urged to Expedite Visas for Afghan Interpreters Facing Taliban Death Threats or There Will Be ‘Blood on His Hands’ After U.S. Withdrawal
— Eric Revell
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army via Flickr - DOD photo by Senior Airman Grovert Fuentes-Contreras, USAF / Creative Commons)
The Latest
-
The Long Arc: Taking Action in Times of Change“Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle.” Martin Luther King Jr. Today in read more... Advocacy
-
Thousands Displaced as Climate Change Fuels Wildfire Catastrophe in Los AngelesIt's been a week of unprecedented destruction in Los Angeles. So far the Palisades, Eaton and other fires have burned 35,000 read more... Environment
-
Puberty, Privacy, and PolicyOn December 11, the Montana Supreme Court temporarily blocked SB99 , a law that sought to ban gender-affirming care for read more... LGBTQIA+
-
Women Are Shaping This Election — Why Is the Media Missing It?As we reflect on the media coverage of this election season, it’s clear that mainstream outlets have zeroed in on the usual read more... Elections
Check out the new docuseries, “Turning Point: 9/11 and the War on Terror” on Netflix. It is an expansive and detailed historical study about HOW & WHY we got to 9/11, with an almost complete history of WHEN & WHY Afghanistan became a focal point for the American government and the American people. This 5 episode series explains so much and in such detail, afterwards you’ll know EXACTLY WHY we left Afghanistan, and WHY we should have left much sooner than August of 2021! It’s ALL there. And it’s ALL the TRUTH! The main idea I got out of it is this: Never go to war without a clear exit strategy that leaves the invaded country better than you found it. NOT doing so will be catastrophic!
This should have happened fifteen years ago and would have saved the lives of many Afghan allies it it had. Ramp it up! Speed it up! Bring more allies here to safety!
What kind of planning? This should have been in place even before the US announced its withdrawal plans. I just hope these people are able to get out with their families before the whole country is taken over! Their lives and their families are in great danger.
U do not do turn about to the people who helped you in war
They helped us we should be protecting them
Illegit Joe's handlers need to get ahold of a calendar. What a pack of fools. Announce a withdrawal date to the world, then move it up, but don't have a plan in place to help friendly locals. What a dope.
I’m glad we honored our side and took care of those who aided us and not leave them behind, I would prefer if we stayed and not let Afghanistan fall right back into a stateless region but it’s better than nothing
Better late than never, more than 200 Afghans who worked with the American-led military coalition as interpreters or in other roles in the fight against the Taliban and al Qaeda touched down in the U.S. on Friday morning. They are the first of thousands who will be evacuated from war-torn Afghanistan amid death threats from the resurgent Taliban as the U.S. aims to complete the military withdrawal by the end of August. Numerous interpreters have been killed this year, including one who the Taliban reportedly beheaded in May. As many as possible need to be granted asylum. Post Haste. SneakyPete 👏🏻👍🏻👏🏻👍🏻👏🏻 8. 3. 21.
This is bitter sweet. It’s great that steps are finally being taken to fulfill our obligations and commitments to the people who helped us, but at the same time, why has it taken so long. Why was there not a plan, before we started pulling troops out of Afghanistan?
Should have been done when we were still there. What a F——up! Shows how really we didn’t give damn. Sooooo now lets ‘get the lead’ out and completely rescue these faithful compatriots and families.
I'm old enough to remember the desperate Vietnamese trying to get a flight out after the US pulled out of the country. My late husband's translator was one of those left behind. If the US military goes into a country and leaves without WINNING the war, then they have absolute duty to bring those who helped them and their families to the United States.
We should have gotten them out BEFORE we left
Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free -- your treasured friends and allies who should never be abandoned to the Taliban!
We must protect all those that helped us while we were there!!! Give them & their families automatic citizenship!!!
The US needs to kick it in high gear before these people start getting murdered. Don't betray them because of bureaucracy.
Too slow. Thousands of Afghans and their families who supported and helped the U.S. are at grave risk of death at the hands of the Taliban and need to be gotten out immediately. We have a moral obligation to help and protect those helped us.
These people helped our troops and now we need to help them to stay safe from the Taliban by brining them to the U.S.
Should have been started earlier. Thus is the least we could do.
Take care of those that took care of us
It is essential that we provide refuge for those who helped us in the Afghan war effort. These allies, threatened by the Taliban, are every bit as deserving of refugee status as anyone at the southern border. May be more deserving.