Ali Faqirzada is an Afghan refugee. He deserves to stay in America | Francine Prose

"On 14 October, Ali Faqirzada an Afghan refugee, a resident of New Paltz, New York, and a computer science student at Bard College arrived for an interview at a federal immigration office on Long Island. He was applying for political asylum, a designation for which he was and remains a perfect candidate. In his native country, Faqirzada had assisted the American government and Nato with projects designed to improve the lives of Afghan women and help them get an education."

"But after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, the ministry where he, his mother and sister had worked was bombed by the Taliban, and one of its employees was murdered. Understandably concerned that they would be tortured and killed like so many Afghans targeted by the Taliban for their cooperation with humanitarian agencies, the Faqirzadas made their way to Mexico, and from there to the US, where they immediately applied for refugee status."

"Six family members have already been granted asylum after having successfully made the case that repatriation to their Taliban-controlled homeland would likely mean a death sentence. When Ali Faqirzada went for his 14 October interview, it seemed probable that his petition would also be approved. According to Malia Dumont, a military veteran formerly deployed in Afghanistan and now chief of staff and vice-president for strategy and policy at Bard, Ali is a brilliant, generous, community-minded student who has worked in New York state."

Ali Faqirzada, an Afghan refugee living in New Paltz and a computer science student at Bard College, applied for political asylum after fleeing Taliban threats. He, his mother and sister worked at a ministry that was bombed and where a colleague was murdered, prompting their flight through Mexico to the United States and immediate refugee applications. Six relatives have already been granted asylum after arguing that return to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan would likely mean a death sentence. Faqirzada had assisted the American government and NATO on projects to improve Afghan women's education. Colleagues describe him as brilliant, generous, community-minded, and employed as a trusted hospital security guard.

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