Basharmal Paiwand talks with Mohammad Bawar and Ryan Manion in the conference room of the Doylestown, Pa., headquarters of the Travis Manion Foundation. Ryan Manion, founder of the foundation, helped the brothers escape Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover in August 2021 and resettle near Doylestown. Manion then connected the brothers with Operation Afghan Open Road to help them train to become truck drivers. June 23, 2023. Photo by Denise L Henhoeffer

Protect our Afghan allies, Legion tells Senate

Senators must include an amendment in the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2025 that would protect America’s Afghanistan allies who have fled or are fleeing the Taliban, according to The American Legion.

Two years ago, U.S. servicemembers led the evacuation of tens of thousands of Afghan interpreters, soldiers and other allies who fought with us against the Taliban. Since then, more than 70,000 at-risk Afghans have been relocated to the United States, where they have been in legal limbo.

However, the Afghanistan allies have no direct pathway to lawful permanent residency in the U.S. Congress can change that with pending legislation. Visit our Grassroots Action Alert and tell your members of Congress to establish a path to permanent legal residency for Afghan allies who supported American troops during the war in Afghanistan.

Last week, American Legion National Commander Daniel Seehafer weighed in, sending a letter to Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.

“As a nation that values loyalty and honor, the United States has a moral obligation to protect those who fought by our side,” Seehafer wrote in part. “We made a promise to stand by the Afghan men and women who risked their lives for our mission; it is up to Congress to uphold this commitment.”

American Legion Resolution No. 16, approved by the National Executive Committee in 2018, supports this initiative.

The American Legion has long supported providing a safe harbor for our Afghanistan allies.

Just over six months ago, The American Legion and other veterans service organizations (VSOs) held a press conference calling on senators to forge a solution to protect up to 15,000 Afghan allies.

“The American Legion stands firmly, shoulder to shoulder with Sen. Klobuchar, Sen. Moran, Sen. Coons and Sen. Blumenthal, calling on their congressional colleagues to pass legislation that would right a wrong, and bring our Afghan allies to the United States today,” American Legion National Security Commission Chairman Matthew Shuman said during the press conference.