Merit-based immigration should favor Afghan translators
President Trump announced his immigration plan in the Rose Garden this week, highlighting how out-of-whack our visa system has been for the last 50 years. His plan calls for an increase in skilled and merit-based green cards from 12 percent to 57 percent, on par with other countries. I applaud this common-sense adjustment. America is, has been, and always will be a generous nation — but now is the time to prioritize who deserves to be first in line.
Afghan translators who risked their lives to stand with us in their country, against terrorism, have proven their merit. The ones still in Afghanistan desperately wait three to five years for the visas that we promised them. As they wait, they are hunted by the Taliban. While bureaucrats dither, our allies are dying. But our veterans aren't giving up.
Soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines, in and out of uniform, are trying to keep our nation's promise to these brave individuals. It's really remarkable and makes me even more proud to be an American. Without any top-down directive, these men and women have worked independently to help their Afghan partners navigate the opaque State Department Special Immigrant Visa process. Success is defined by persistence. These men and women spend years coordinating paperwork and lobbying Congress.
Stories like those of the Navy SEALs who worked to bring over Johnny Walker, "American Sniper" Chris Kyle's translator, or the Pennsylvania National Guard soldiers who created a Go Fund Me to help their translator Fred, or Pittsburgh Steelers Number 78 and Army Ranger Alejandro Villanueva resettling his translator in Houston — and even Fox New's own Pete Hegseth getting his translators here — are just a few examples. It's really quite humbling.
https://thehill.com/opinion/immigration/444399-merit-based-immigration-should-favor-afghan-translators
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