The New York Times today published a powerful editorial condemning the House Armed Services Committee’s current version of the 2017 defense spending bill, which would leave stranded thousands of men and women who worked with the American government in Afghanistan. The piece was published in the wake of significant advocacy efforts by IRAP’s policy team and its allies.
“When the Senate and the House versions of the defense bill are reconciled next month, lawmakers should increase the visa numbers to clear the backlog of pending cases,” wrote the Editorial Board. “They should not change the eligibility standard and they should require the State Department to establish a reasonable appeals process for applicants who have been rejected without a clear explanation.”
Read the full editorial here, and please share it with your networks!