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CNN
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A coalition of US veterans teams is looking on President Joe Biden to intervene within the case of an Afghan nationwide who fought alongside US forces and is now going through deportation after being detained on the US-Mexico border.
Abdul Wasi Safi, referred to as Wasi, was apprehended by US Border Patrol in September after crossing the US-Mexico border with a gaggle of migrants. In a letter to Biden on Wednesday the teams stated that as an Afgan Particular Forces soldier, Safi “served faithfully alongside US Particular Operations Forces” in Afghanistan, and “continued to help the Northern resistance towards the Taliban” because the US and its allies withdrew forces in August 2021.
Unable to get on a flight overseas earlier than the US accomplished its withdrawal, Safi was instantly at risk of persecution by the Taliban, and “was compelled to flee for his life,” touring “from secure home to secure home” till he arrived in Pakistan, the letter stated.
In line with the letter and representatives from the organizations advocating for him, his arrival in Pakistan was simply step one in a journey to the US.
Safi “traveled on foot or by bus via 10 international locations, surviving torture, theft, and makes an attempt on his life, to hunt asylum in america from the threats on his life, and anticipating a hero’s welcome from his American allies,” the letter stated.
However what he discovered was the alternative. Paperwork detailing his case and supplied by Safi’s brother to CNN says {that a} Border Patrol agent “encountered” Safi on September 30 close to Eagle Move, Texas. He was carrying “soiled and moist garments,” the doc says, and since he instructed the agent he didn’t have correct immigration paperwork he was arrested and transported to an area Border Patrol station for processing. The doc famous that Safi instructed the agent he feared returning to his residence nation, and {that a} document test discovered no immigration historical past or felony document. His story was first reported by the Texas Tribune.
Now his brother, Sami Safi, and different advocates concern the worst: that Wasi Safi might quickly be deported again to the very nation he was attempting to flee.
“This particular person … actually bled alongside US coalition forces so as to defend them and combat the Taliban,” stated Daniel Elkins, founding father of the Particular Operations Affiliation of America, which signed onto Wednesday’s letter. “So, him being returned to Afghanistan – he not solely could be killed, however he most certainly could be tortured and made an instance of, which is why it’s unconscionable for us to assume that he might doubtlessly be deported.”
Elkins stated that Wasi Safi served with high items within the US particular operations group, placing him at excessive threat due to the harm these items did to the Taliban. Sami Safi instructed CNN that whereas his brother was nonetheless in Afghanistan throughout the withdrawal, he obtained “a number of voicemails” saying his fellow service members had been captured and killed by the Taliban.
Wasi Safi was “extraordinarily upset” {that a} “nation that claims ‘we’ll by no means depart our allies behind’ left [him] behind to the enemy [he] was combating,” Sami Safi stated.
Sami Safi, who grew to become a US citizen in July 2021, expressed frustration and sorrow over his brother’s destiny. He served as an interpreter himself with US forces for a number of years as a result of he “needed to be a part of the operation towards the Taliban,” he stated.
“I knew that in the event that they got here into energy, they [would] deliver catastrophe to Afghanistan,” Sami Safi stated.
The dialog surrounding help for individuals who served subsequent to US forces in Afghanistan, like Sami and Wasi Safi, has heated up in latest weeks as lawmakers have debated passing the Afghan Adjustment Act. The invoice would offer a pathway to lawful everlasting residency for Afghans who had been evacuated to the US in August 2021, whose momentary humanitarian parole standing is anticipated to run out subsequent yr. Whereas advocates have relentlessly pushed for the laws to be included on this yr’s omnibus spending invoice, it finally was not included.
There’s, nevertheless, laws within the spending invoice to increase the Particular Immigrant Visa program for Afghans who labored alongside the US throughout the warfare and are searching for to return to America.
“There’s no means america can proceed to do what we do globally with out our accomplice nation forces and with out the belief required for operations to proceed,” stated Ben Owen, the CEO of Flanders Fields, a non-profit that seeks to help veterans fighting dependancy. “And proper now, what we’re doing and what we’re all seeing, globally, is that america is sort of dropping its ethical compass.”
It’s unclear what comes subsequent in Wasi Safi’s case; the teams implored Biden of their letter to grant him parolee standing “as he awaits a listening to on his justifiable asylum declare.” Sami Safi stated he believes “any end result might be potential,” although Owen stated it doesn’t appear believable that Wasi Safi might really be despatched again to Afghanistan, the place “a sure loss of life sentence” could be ready for him. Elkins stated it’s the US’ obligation to “stand shoulder to shoulder” with Afghan companions who served alongside American troops.
“The Afghan Particular Forces faithfully served America,” the letter despatched on Wednesday says, “and never one among them ought to must endure a path like this to achieve security.”
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