MassInsider

Press Release: 2021-07-23

Trahan Votes to Uphold U.S. Promise to Afghan Interpreters and Allies:

Washington, July 22, 2021

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) voted in favor of H.R. 3985, the Averting Loss of Life and Injury by Expediting SIVs (ALLIES) Act, bipartisan legislation she cosponsored to uphold America’s promise to protect Afghan interpreters, contractors, and security personnel who worked with U.S. servicemembers during their tours in Afghanistan.

“The decision by President Biden to bring our troops home and end the longest war in our nation’s history was long overdue,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “I’m glad that this administration also recognizes that we can’t break our promise to our Afghan partners who risked their lives to help keep our servicemembers safe. The ALLIES Act will ensure that the Biden administration has the legal authority to swiftly accommodate visa applications from interpreters and partners who remain at risk every day they remain in Afghanistan. I’m proud to support this legislation to fulfill our obligation, and it’s my hope that the Senate does the same without delay.”

In April, the Biden administration announced its plan to withdraw all U.S. servicemembers from Afghanistan by September 11, 2021. As this long overdue withdrawal takes place, Afghan allies have faced even greater risks of retaliation by the Taliban for helping American troops on the ground. The Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program, which offers a path to safety for allies who wish to relocate to the United States, is in need of immediate reform to uphold America’s promise to protect those partners who have been critical in keeping servicemembers safe during their deployments.

The ALLIES Act will protect Afghan allies and partners by expediting the Afghan SIV process. Specifically, the legislation will:

Add an additional 8,000 visas to the SIV program, which is necessary to ensure that there are enough visas to accommodate all eligible applicants who are currently in the pipeline;

Strengthen protections for surviving spouses and children of deceased SIV applicants;

Create a presumption of a serious threat by removing the requirement for a “credible sworn statement” regarding the threat applicants face for having worked for or on behalf of the U.S. government, since extensive reporting has confirmed that Afghans who have worked for the U.S. face heightened risk of retribution from the Taliban; and

Streamline SIV processing without compromising the strict background check and national security vetting procedures, or other processes to confirm visa eligibility.

The bipartisan ALLIES Act is also necessary to support the administration’s recently announced Operation Allies Refuge, which was launched to begin immediately relocating Afghan visa seekers who are in danger. Once vulnerable applicants are evacuated to a third country or domestic military base, they must remain there until their SIV application is approved. The ALLIES Act will streamline this process and allocate the additional visas necessary to accommodate these applications without compromising national security.

The bill is supported by a broad coalition of organizations, including The American Legion, No One Left Behind, The National Immigration Forum, Union Veterans Council, VoteVets, Human Rights First, Vets for American Ideals, Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States (EANGUS), Military Chaplains Association of the United States of America (MCA), Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH), Reserve Officers of America (ROA), Korean War Veterans Association, American Ex-Prisoners of War, Association of Wartime Allies, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS), and Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA).