A bipartisan group of senators introduced an amendment to the defense authorization bill on Thursday that would preserve a visa program for at-risk Afghan translators who worked with the U.S. military.
The amendment would authorize an additional 4,000 visas for Afghan interpreters under the Special Immigrant Visa program. It was introduced by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D., N.H.), with support from Sens. John McCain (R., Ariz.), Jack Reed (D., R.I.), and Thom Tillis (R., N.C.).
The current Senate version of the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act bill, which was approved by the Senate Armed Services Committee, does not authorize additional visas for the Special Immigrant Visa program. The program provides U.S. refuge for Afghan interpreters who are under threat from the Taliban.
A House version of the NDAA bill does not authorize additional visas either. The State Department, which oversees the program, has said it cannot review new applicants unless Congress allocates more permits.
Shaheen said in a statement that the United States "owes a great debt to the Afghans who provided essential assistance to the U.S. mission in Afghanistan, adding that she would "not stand by while Congress turns its back on these individuals."
McCain said the additional visas were essential for the program to continue.
"This amendment will ensure the continuation of the Special Immigrant Visa program, which our military commanders have said is essential to battlefield success and preserving the gains of the last 15 years in Afghanistan," McCain said. "And it will send clear message that America will not turn its back on those—who at great personal risk—stood with us in the fight against terror."
McCain vowed last week to fight for more visas, saying he would "shame" any colleagues who opposed the visa increase on the Senate floor.
Advocates for the SIV program argue that maintaining it is a national security issue because local interpreters will not volunteer to work with the United States in the future if they don’t believe they will be protected.
Army Gen. John Nicholson, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, warned against ending the program in a letter to McCain on May 20.
"These men and women who have risked their lives and have sacrificed much for the betterment of Afghanistan deserve our continued commitment," Nicholson wrote.
"Failure to adequately demonstrate a shared understanding of their sacrifices and honor our commitment to any Afghan who supports the International Security Assistance Force and Resolute Support missions could have grave consequences for these individuals and bolster the propaganda our enemies."
Two Republicans, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R., Ala.) and Charles Grassley (R., Iowa), have objected to authorizing additional visas. Sessions has said it is not clear more visas are necessary for the program and it might not be worth the additional cost. He also raised concerns about the screening process.
"We just need to be careful about this," he said, according to Stars and Stripes. "Just because you've got applicants doesn't mean every one of them is deserving of acceptance."
Sessions’ office did not comment on whether he would fight the amendment.
Under the SIV program, Afghan interpreters are eligible to apply for U.S. visas if they have worked with U.S. operations for a minimum of one year and can show that their safety is now at risk. They must also provide letters of recommendation from their American supervisors.
Translators who worked with the United States have become a prime target for the Taliban, as the Washington Free Beacon has documented.
Many interpreters spend years on the waiting list before their applications are approved. Last year, the Free Beacon reported on Sakhidad Afghan, an interpreter for the U.S. Air Force and Marines who was tortured and killed by the Taliban after waiting four years for a visa.
Special Immigrant Visa applicants are screened by U.S. military and intelligence agencies before their applications are approved. They are also vetted prior to being hired to work with the United States. Many of them go through a security review every six months during their employment.
Matt Zeller, a former Army officer who runs the group No One Left Behind, said the thousands of troops fighting in Afghanistan continue to rely on local translators. He said that failing to preserve the SIV program could put U.S. operations at risk.
"Without the support of locals—such as translators, cooks, mechanics, clerks, etc.—[U.S. troops] fundamentally could not accomplish their mission," Zeller said.
"As Gen. Nicholson makes clear, should we break faith with these [Afghans], we will abandon them to be tortured and murdered by the very enemies we’ve asked them to help us fight," Zeller added. "Should we break this promise, it will haunt us for generations to come as we will find a world that no longer believes America keeps its promises."