The actions of one man charged with a heinous crime have derailed the lawful U.S. immigration applications of people from 19 countries, with more potentially added in the coming weeks.
The crime, of course, was the horrific and targeted attack on National Guard members Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe last month in Washington, D.C. It was unconscionable and caused Beckstrom’s death. Terrorism, hate, and barbaric acts of violence have no place in any civilized society. This is a universal truth held by billions of people around the world regardless of faith, nationality, gender, or culture.
Like Americans, many Afghans – especially those resettled in the United States – are outraged and feel deeply betrayed by the shooter’s depraved attack. Having experienced decades of instability in their homeland, they know the devastating and far-reaching effects of evil and brutality wherever it occurs. That the alleged shooter was an Afghan national who worked with the CIA, resettled in America after the 2021 evacuation of Afghanistan, and received asylum approval this year makes it worse for them.
The U.S. government has decided to pause and reexamine immigration applications from Afghanistan and a number of other places following the shooting.
Afghans who aided the United States but are still stuck in Afghanistan won’t be issued visas to travel to the United States. Immigrants already in the United States from the other 18 travel ban countries – places like Iran, Venezuela, Sudan, Haiti, Cuba, Laos, and more – are also impacted. Asylum seekers may continue to have court hearings, but they won’t receive a determination on their cases. Naturalization ceremonies have been canceled. Hundreds of thousands of refugees, who are already subject to intense vetting for years before their arrival, will have their cases reviewed yet again.
Yet tens of thousands of Afghans risked their lives over the last two decades in the pursuit of a more secure and prosperous future for all, working in partnership with the United States and our international allies. Through longstanding resettlement pathways, America committed to their well-being in gratitude for supporting critical security, diplomatic, and humanitarian objectives which advanced U.S. interests.
Going back on our word to Afghans who helped us is contrary to our values as Americans – particularly when it’s because of the actions of one indicted individual.
Rather than targeting all Afghans lawfully living in or visiting the United States and those with a legal pathway for resettlement, elected leaders should investigate what, if anything, could have been done to prevent this tragedy. Our immigration policies have long warranted improvement, and reexamining our vetting procedures could be part of that.
But let’s remember that one of America’s unique strengths is how often in our history we have been a refuge for the poor and oppressed. Many immigrants who contributed deeply to our country from afar came from places that weren’t stable and prosperous. They helped shape American exceptionalism, protected freedom and human dignity, enabled prosperity, and inspired hope for a better life both at home and around the world.
America’s values and commitment to liberty are why many brave Afghan men and women took the grave risk of standing with us in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and continue to pursue a free and fair future for their country.
They have seen their daughters, sisters, mothers, and nieces erased from every facet of public life and confined to a daily reality where female voices, faces, and laughter are outlawed.
Afghans have shouldered depravation and desperation as corrupt leaders, terrorists, and malign foreign influences eagerly pillage their homeland for personal gain.
They have seen their children endure unimaginable suffering due to widespread poverty, food insecurity, natural disasters, and preventable and treatable illnesses as critical infrastructure nears collapse thanks to tyranny and kleptocracy.
Afghans have watched in horror the demonization and prohibition of freedom of expression and media, critical thinking, arts and culture, and access to education.
They have mourned lost loved ones and endured horrific injuries as victims and survivors of widespread conflict, terrorism, and targeted atrocities.
And Afghans have been forced to flee their homeland, many now for a second time in their lives, due to the greed and brutality of the Taliban regime’s return to power and the fact that they honorably stood against it.
Even displaced and grappling with immense challenges of life as refugees in America or other countries, Afghans continue to oppose the Taliban and positively contribute to support U.S. objectives.
They are documenting the assault and abuse perpetrated by their oppressors. They are leading the way in seeking justice for the Taliban’s abhorrent crimes against women, children, and other vulnerable populations. They are running underground schools and online education platforms to ensure the next generation of Afghans stands a chance against Taliban indoctrination and jihadist propaganda. They are preserving culture and the true Afghan identity despite the efforts of extremists to erase truth and manipulate faith.
All of these efforts directly and immensely benefit U.S. foreign policy interests.
Like generations of immigrants to the United States, Afghans are also positively strengthening the vibrancy and well-being of our local communities – in stark contrast with the crimes of the alleged shooter of the National Guard members.
Make no mistake, those victims and their families deserve justice. The suspect will be held accountable for his crimes and punished accordingly, and the process has already begun with his arraignment. The U.S. government may file additional charges and may decide to pursue the death penalty in this case.
But this man is responsible for his actions, not all foreign-born people. The suspect will receive more due process than some of the immigrants with valid legal immigration requests who are detained or removed this year. The innocent shouldn’t bear the burden of someone else’s crimes.
Our Afghan allies and their families matter. Following proper vetting for those who have sought to come here, they should have the opportunity to live their lives in peace.
