Top general urges lawmakers to preserve Afghan visa program

Afghan civilians who assisted the American-led coalition as interpreters, firefighters and construction workers could be in serious danger if Congress cancels a program that allows them to resettle in the US, according to the top American commander in Afghanistan.
The warning from Army General John Nicholson comes with the future of the so-called special immigrant visa program in doubt as the Senate opens up debate today on the annual defence policy bill.
The program's backers, who include Senator John McCain, the Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said it's unconscionable to deny entry to Afghans who are risk of becoming targeted by the Taliban and other extremists for siding with the coalition.

Nicholson's remarks, outlined in a May 20 letter to McCain, underscore that concern.
Opposition to the program centres on the potential USD 446 million price tag of expanding the program and concerns that issuing visas to the thousands of Afghans who aided the US and its allies will drain Afghanistan of much needed talent.
Nicholson told McCain that abandoning the special visa program would "significantly undermine" US credibility and 15 years of enormous personal costs made since US forces invaded Afghanistan.

"Failure to adequately demonstrate a shared understanding of their sacrifices and honour 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," Nicholson wrote.

Congress has added 7,000 visas to the program over the last two years alone to meet the demand and the Obama administration requested 4,000 more for the fiscal year that begins October 1.
Since December 2014, the State Department has issued 3,200 special immigrant visas to Afghans who worked for the coalition. Thousands more visas are being processed through a pipeline that can take 270 days from start to finish.
"We're going to run out of visas by the end of the year," said Senator Jeanne Shaheen, D N H , who plans to offer an amendment in the Senate with McCain to extend and expand the visa program.