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I hope you saw my latest weekly column.

 

ROGER WICKER: Afghans who risked lives to help U.S. troops face imminent danger

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In the days after Sept. 11, 2001, U.S. forces dropped into Afghanistan and
took the fight directly to Al-Qaeda. From the very outset of their mission,
they were assisted by Afghan interpreters who understood the language, culture
and customs of the Afghan people.

 

These local experts intercepted radio messages from terrorists, helped create
alliances with local tribes, guided our troops through unfamiliar terrain and
protected them from spies and hidden threats – in many cases, saving American
lives.

 

Yet 20 years later, as U.S. troops are preparing to leave Afghanistan,
thousands of these loyal partners face the possibility of being left behind and
killed by the Taliban.

 

For the past year, the Taliban has waged a ruthless campaign against Afghans
who have helped American troops. Assassination attempts are on the rise, and
death threats have become routine. Since 2014, more than 300 Afghan
interpreters or their family members have been murdered. With the Taliban
growing stronger, many interpreters have good reason to fear they will be
captured, tortured or killed if they are left behind by U.S. forces.

 

Failing to protect these loyal friends of the United States would be a grave
betrayal, sending a loud message that America does not have the backs of our
friends. We need to act quickly and decisively to save thousands of Afghans
whose lives are now at risk.

 

Congress puts pressure on Biden to act

 

Since 2006, our country has rewarded more than 15,000 Afghan interpreters by
giving them Special Immigrant Visas, or SIVs, after two years of service. These
visas allow them to come to America and escape the threats they face at home.
Unfortunately, this visa program has been plagued by delays and backlogs,
forcing many applicants to wait for years when the standard wait is supposed to
be nine months.

 

Today there are 18,000 applicants waiting to hear about their visas. Many
others have been wrongfully denied, and others hang in limbo because they
served so long ago that they no longer have Americans to vouch for them. In
every case, time is running gravely short.

 

I have met with President Biden to discuss the urgent plight of these Afghans.
Members of Congress from both parties are strongly urging the White House to
act, and reports indicate the president is now planning to evacuate these
Afghans to a third country, where they can await their visa decisions in safety.

 

I am also co-leading bipartisan legislation that would lower the visa
eligibility requirement from two years of service to one year, create 20,000
new visa openings, postpone medical evaluations and extend eligibility to the
surviving spouses and children of Afghan interpreters who have been killed.
This legislation should be passed as soon as possible.

 

America must keep faith with loyal friends

 

In 1975, at the close of the Vietnam War, America took in 111,000 South
Vietnamese who were fleeing their communist invaders. Those refugees embraced
America as their last best hope on earth and have since become a valued part of
the American family.

 

We need to extend the same welcome to Afghan interpreters who, at great risk
to themselves and their families, served our country faithfully and helped us
bring justice to Al-Qaeda terrorists. They helped us when our national security
was at risk. We owe them the same now that their lives and families are in
peril.

 

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Thank you for your support,

Senator Roger Wicker

 

 

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