Removal of the visa program bill for Afghan translators in America.
The US Republican senators removed the extension of the immigration visa program for Afghan translators who cooperated with US forces in the 20 years of the Afghanistan war from the defense spending bill of this country’s Senate.
According to “Stars and Stripes” magazine, this action of American senators may be the end of the program of settling Afghan translators in this country.
Senator Jane Shaheen, one of the critics of this action, said: “It is very disappointing that the obstructionism of the Republicans has prevented the extension of the authorization of the Afghanistan SIV program in this bill. A program that is necessary for America to adhere to its promises to our Afghan allies.
A congressional staffer familiar with the matter, who is not authorized to speak about it, told Stars and Stripes that Senator Charles Grassley and a Republican member of the House were leading the effort to remove the defense bill provision.
The SIV program once had bipartisan support. In May of last year, three months before the fall of the US-backed government in Kabul, a letter signed by 20 senators, including seven Republicans, called for continued support for “the administration (Biden) to maintain the integrity of the program.”
