Dear Friend, 

With the tragic events that have unfolded in Afghanistan, we wish we had better news regarding the fate of our wartime allies in Iraq.  However, more than 100,000 of them in the Direct Access Program wait for their visas and remain in grave danger due to their affiliation with the U.S.  This number incudes those who worked with our military and government as well as their immediate families.  And this number includes my interpreter’s family, a family that has had members threatened, shot, wounded, and killed due to their loyalty to America.

The family’s case was conditionally approved more than four years ago.  Yet, immigration policy under the last administration basically brought the visa program to a standstill.  A change in administration gave us renewed hope, but two days after President Biden took office, the program was suspended for three months so that the government could address fraud vulnerabilities within the program.  The suspension has been extended and the program has not been reactivated since.  Meanwhile, the most deserving of safety and refuge, to include my interpreter’s family, suffer.

Our wartime allies firmly believe in the importance of U.S. national security.  After all, they and their families collectively made the decision to defend it at great personal risk.  We fully support the investigation of fraudulent activity and we fully support the strict vetting measures that ensure our safety.    But it is time for the program to reopen so that at the very least, processing can resume for the most straightforward cases such as ours.  The family applied for their visa over a decade ago and their sacrifice to our nation and the dangers that have come with it are well documented and publicized.  Their case has the support of multiple members of Congress and the support of almost 150,000 U.S. citizens who have signed our petition. The family has suffered for too long and this is a matter of life and death.  The reality is that we will lose more and more of our Iraqi wartime allies the longer the program is suspended.    

We ask for you to reach out your members of Congress and advocate for the reopening of the Iraqi Direct Access Program.  And if you’re looking for ways to support Afghan interpreters and refugees, linked below is a great resource.  Thank you for your support and for staying in the fight with us. 

Pete