Monday, August 15
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THE FORUM DAILY

As we reflect on the one-year anniversary of the fall of Kabul today, we
must remember and honor the promises we made to our Afghan allies who
helped the U.S. military throughout the 20-year war, have empathy
for the families they left behind, and continue to work hard to support
Afghan evacuees hoping to resettle here permanently. 

For Stars and Stripes
,
J.P. Lawrence features stories from both U.S. veterans and Afghan
evacuees who recall the Afghan evacuation last year so vividly - the
trauma, the heroism, and everything in between.  

TIME Magazine
shared powerful reflections from Afghan women - a combination of
Afghanistan's security forces, educators, artists, and activists -
who are attempting to rebuild their lives across the world and the U.S.,
despite being "far from the homes they love, and the futures they
deserve." 

Today, we are reminded of the severity of the situation as thousands of
Afghan evacuees are still waiting for their opportunity to enter the
country and seek asylum, reports Miriam Jordan for The New York Times
. "We
can't claim mission accomplished," said Jennifer Quigley, senior
director of government affairs at Human Rights First. "There are still
too many vulnerable people abroad." 

For POLITICO Magazine
,
Elliot Ackerman speaks to a Marine veteran who recounts the harrowing
story of an Afghan evacuation attempt, grateful for saving two Afghan
parents, but heartbroken for not being able to help those remaining in
Afghanistan.  

Last week, the introduction of the bipartisan Afghan Adjustment Act

signified a step in the right direction. (ICYMI:
[link removed]
 The Forum's statement on its introduction
,
the statement from the Evangelical Immigration Table

and a personal call to Congress

from Council on National Security and Immigration (CNSI) leader and
Afghanistan veteran Rick "Ozzie" Nelson' to provide legal permanent
resident status and certainty to our allies and evacuees.) 

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) agreed, adding that the
"...legislation starts us down a road of creating a strong vetting
program to protect our national security while allowing for Afghans who
risked their lives for America to move forward in the process, and while
determining what to do with other parolees we brought to the U.S. after
our hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan," per Roll Call
's
Caroline Simon. 

And as Shawn VanDiver, Navy veteran and leader of the 200-plus member
#AfghanEvac Coalition writes
:
"New arrivals have been resilient in the face of unimaginable struggles,
and they are eager to make a positive difference in their new
communities. #AfghanEvac would never have been possible without the
selfless work of volunteers. The integration of Afghan individuals into
our communities will not be either. We need to show up..."  

Today, you can show up by participating in the Forum's Day of Action:
 

* Join our Facebook live
on why Congress must
act to secure the futures of Afghan evacuees today at 3 p.m. EST. (Sign
up here .) 

* Sign or share our action calling for passage
of the Afghan Adjustment act.   

* Join the conversation on social media.
 

Welcome to Monday's edition of The Forum Daily. I'm Becka Wall,
the Forum's digital communications VP. We're trying a slightly
different format - let us know what you think! If you have a story to
share from your own community, please send it to me at
[email protected] . 

Today's stories:  

* Afghan refugee chef Hamidullah Noori of Central Virginia will be
opening his second restaurant, where he plans to continue serving the
Afghan community, reports Rolynn Wilson of WRIC
.
"It wasn't easy for us, but it was an opportunity for me to support
our families, our people who are in need. Provide job opportunities to
them, support them [in] their daily life," Noori said. 

* An estimated 107 unaccompanied migrant children seeking asylum turned
themselves in to the Tucson Sector of Border Patrol two weeks ago,
reports Perla Shaheen for KGUN
.
"The stories are all the same, their parents send them north because
they want them to survive," said Margo Cowan with Keep Tucson Together.
"Whether it's [due to] starvation or the horrific violence in their
countries of origin." 

* With U.S. immigration policies continuously outsourcing migrant care
to Mexico, many asylum seekers and refugees awaiting months for
refuge have developed "health problems ... left some in dire conditions
without care; and compounded the trauma experienced by those fleeing
their homes," reports Renuka Rayasam, CBS News/
Kaiser
Health News
. 

* Arizona Democrat Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly, Sen. Rob Portman
(R-Ohio), and Sen. James Lankford (R-Oklahoma) are sponsoring the Border
Patrol Enhancement Act, which would address retention and recruiting
challenges, boost pay, and create a reserve unit, per Julian Resendiz of
Border Report
. 

Thanks for reading, 

Becka  

 

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