"Working for over three decades at Chabot College, which serves many immigrant communities, my colleagues and I taught and developed support programs for Afghan students meeting them at the often-challenging crossroads of their lives. We bore witness to their struggles and successes as they and their families became woven into the very fabric of our community. Many are now medical workers, skilled technologists and teachers, as well as elected American political leaders who give back to their communities."
"For infinitely varied reasons, and through two decades of war, they cast their lots with the United States and accepted the implicit some might say sacred promise to protect them as indispensable partners in our war on terror. In 2021, the U.S. military departure from Afghanistan left many in devastating limbo, unable to get out of Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, or dependent on a promise of temporary refugee status in the United States."
"Last month, the renewal of a ban on Afghan refugees, as well as earlier threatened nullification of formerly assigned temporary refugee status, represents a clear betrayal of our country's implicit agreement to protect them. When Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who came to the U.S. in 2021 after apparently working with a CIA-backed Afghan military unit, fired on the National Guard in D,C. on Nov."
Chabot College staff developed programs supporting Afghan students and witnessed their integration into the community, with many becoming healthcare workers, technologists, teachers, and elected officials. Afghan families often supported U.S. military efforts for two decades and accepted an implicit promise of protection as partners in the war on terror. The U.S. withdrawal in 2021 left many stranded or reliant on temporary refugee status. Renewal of a ban on Afghan refugees and threats to revoke refugee status constitute a betrayal of that promise. Violent acts by isolated individuals have been used to stigmatize Afghans broadly, fueling dehumanizing rhetoric and anxiety among lawful immigrants.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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