Situation as of 1pm Monday, August 16
All commercial flights out of Kabul have been cancelled, so I am no longer trying to get visas to India for the boys. The only way out is by emergency repatriation – basically military extraction. I applied online for the boys and their families.
I am working with some nice people at Senator Casey’s office to get Isa, Roshan, Roshan’s fiancee, (Shegufa) and Roshan’s sister (Fariza) on a plane out of there. Anyone who has a visa in process is eligible for this emergency repatriation, and both Shegufa and Fariza have visa applications in process.
For everyone else, I am applying for Humanitarian Parole. Their lives are in grave danger because of their ethnicity and because members of their families are US citizens. I am not sure how quickly these applications will be processed, but the folks at Casey’s office will help however they can to speed things up.
Please continue to let your elected officials know that they must allow safe escape routes for these folks who are in harms way. We cannot turn our backs on them – particularly the special immigrant visa people – the folks and their families who helped the military and who are now prime targets for retribution. We must get them to safety.
I would also like to say thank you to the soldiers who are doing their best to create a safe escape route for our boys and their families and the others who are in danger there. I am grateful beyond my ability to express gratitude.