How many Afghan interpreters left behind?
WASHINGTON—More than 60,000 Afghan interpreters and others who have applied for visas to seek shelter in the U.S. after working alongside American forces still remain in Afghanistan, a State Department official said Thursday.
Did the interpreter get out of Afghanistan?
Afghan interpreter who helped rescue Biden in 2008 is evacuated from Afghanistan. The Afghan interpreter who in 2008 was part of a team that rescued then-Sen. Joe Biden when his helicopter got caught in a blinding snowstorm in Afghanistan safely left the country with his family last week.
How many Afghan translators need to be evacuated?
Operation Allies Refuge About 20,000 Afghans who worked as interpreters for the Americans have applied for evacuation under the US State Department programme of Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs).
Is SIV still available for Afghans?
The Emergency Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021, as enacted on July 30, 2021, authorized 8,000 additional Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) for Afghan principal applicants, for a total of 34,500 visas allocated since December 19, 2014.
Who escaped Afghanistan?
The analysis found that they have ended up in more than 40 countries. In addition to the Afghans who were airlifted, thousands are reportedly crossing into Iran every day. The Post interviewed Afghans in Albania, Australia, Germany, Mexico and Uganda who left their homeland after the Taliban takeover.
Will the US evacuate Afghan interpreters?
WASHINGTON — A planned U.S. evacuation of a small group of Afghan interpreters will likely drag on even after the last American troops withdraw from the country by the end of August, according to numbers provided by the Biden administration — and some may have to wait more than two years to get out.
What is happening to the Afghan interpreters?
As many as 50,000 interpreters have worked with the US military. Since 2008, some 70,000 Afghans – interpreters and their families – have moved to the US under a special immigrant visa awarded for their service. But some 20,000 interpreters and their families are still seeking a way out.
How many Afghans has the US gotten out of Afghanistan?
The U.S. airlifted 124,000 people from Kabul, the capital, over about six weeks as the American-backed Afghan military and government fell to the Taliban. Since then, several thousand people have managed to get out, mostly on flights arranged by the State Department or private groups and individuals.
Does the US still have an embassy in Afghanistan?
The State Department has ordered the closure of Afghanistan’s embassy and consulates in the United States, according to Afghan officials and congressional aides familiar with the move, throwing into limbo the future of Afghan diplomats posted in the United States after the Taliban toppled their government last year.
Where are most Afghans in America?
The states of California, Virginia and New York historically had the largest number of Afghan Americans. Thousands may also be found in the states of Arizona, Texas, Georgia, Washington, Oklahoma, Idaho, Missouri, North Carolina, and Illinois. As of 2019, their total number is approximately 156,434.
Do Afghan military qualify for SIV?
Section 1059 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006, authorizes the issuance of up to 50 Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) annually to Iraqi and Afghan translators and interpreters working for the U.S. military and who meet certain requirements.
Do Afghans have toilet paper?
It is important to observe that particularly the rural population does not know or does not use toilet paper. Often, toilet paper is replaced by anything available. This is one of the main reasons why infectious diseases are easily transmitted in the population by feco-oral route.
How a former U.S. military translator escaped Afghanistan with his family and started over in Texas?
First, they went to Qatar, where he said they spent 10 to 12 days in the airport terminal with little to no food or water before another military plane took them to Germany. Eventually, Lucky and his family were able to arrange a flight to Texas, where Lucky’s brother-in-law was living.
Who is eligible for Humanitarian parole from Afghanistan?
In a statement, a USCIS spokesperson said strong positive factors or characteristics for a person hoping to be considered for humanitarian parole include being the immediate family member of a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident, a former locally employed staff member in the embassy in Kabul or an immediate …
Who can be evacuated from Afghanistan?
Citizens, Legal Permanent Residents, SIVs, and those with pending immigrant visas. Virginians seeking assistance from Senator Kaine’s office for themselves or others are encouraged to read this guidance from the Department of State before filling out the form below.
What’s happening to Afghan interpreters?
Are Afghan interpreters being left behind?
As U.S. Withdraws, Afghan Interpreters Fear Being Left Behind A program to bring people employed by the American military to the United States is backlogged, with thousands of applicants denied. Shoaib Walizada, who interpreted for the U.S. Army for four years, was among those turned down.
What is Biden’s plan to evacuate Afghan interpreters?
The Biden administration is planning to evacuate thousands of Afghan interpreters and support staff who worked side-by-side with US forces during the war in Afghanistan to other countries before the US pulls out its forces in September so they can wait out their visa applications without fear of reprisals by the Taliban.
Why are US troops leaving Afghanistan without protection from the Taliban?
They feared being left behind in Afghanistan without protection against the Taliban, which considers them turncoats and spies, and would likely kill anyone who assisted the US military and their families. A soldier talks with his unit’s Afghan interpreter before a mission near forward operating base Gamberi in Afghanistan on December 11, 2014.
Can Afghan interpreters apply for a special visa program?
The Afghans can apply for a special visa program created by Congress in 2006 for Afghans and Iraqis who worked with US troops. Former Afghan interpreters gather during a protest against the U.S. government and NATO in Kabul, Afghanistan on April 30, 2021.