The suspect charged in the November shooting of two West Virginia National Guard members in Washington, D.C. was an Afghan national who was granted asylum this year.
The attack prompted President Donald Trump to issue sharp criticisms of Afghan refugees and humanitarian parolees, and order a pause to visa and asylum applications.
“It is really devastating to hear that we are taking a position that is unwelcoming to those folks,” said Hilary Singer, executive director of Jewish Vocational Services, which works to resettle refugees in the Kansas City area.
Singer said that the Trump administration has repeated anti-refugee rhetoric for years, and the AP reports that a plan to review all admitted refugee cases was in the works even before the National Guard shooting.
“The planned destruction of our humanitarian based immigration system occurred...well before that, not necessarily for security based reasons,” Singer said.
The U.S. only recently began admitting refugees again. Trump stopped foreign aid and the refugee resettlement program when he took office for his second term, hampering the ability of some agencies to support refugees already settled in the country.
Jason Kander served alongside an Afghan interpreter while serving in the U.S. Army. Following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, he helped orchestrate the escape of more than 380 people whose lives were at risk as the Taliban regained control of the country.
Kander said it took years of rigorous vetting before the Afghans were admitted into the U.S.
He said he’s embarrassed and saddened by the actions of the Trump administration towards Afghan allies who risked their life in support of the U.S.
“These people served America in a way that is far more profound and meaningful than 99% of Americans, and they deserve respect,” Kander told KCUR’s Up To Date.
When troops deploy overseas, Kander said they rely on locals to translate and help guide them through the foreign territory.
As tension rises between the U.S. and Venezuela, Kander speculates another war could be on the horizon.
“If we do that, the very first soldier or Marine who sets foot in Venezuela will need to look for a Venezuelan national who can help them with language and help them with as a cultural guide, help them know which streets to go to,” Kander said. “And if we continue to treat Afghans the way we're treating them, then there will be no Venezuelans to do that.”
- Hilary Singer, executive director, Jewish Vocational Services
- Jason Kander, co-host of Majority 54 and former Missouri Secretary of State
