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OPINION:
Etched on a large white marble wall at CIA headquarters are stars honoring fallen agency officers, those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. When I served in the agency, I often paused to remember dear friends on that wall with whom I had the privilege of serving in Afghanistan.
Among them is a legendary paramilitary officer I’ll call Dan, who once told me about America’s moral obligation to protect the heroic Afghans who fought alongside U.S. forces in Afghanistan and without whom there would be even more stars on that wall.
“They’re my brothers,” he told me before he was killed in 2016. “We can’t leave them here to die. We have to set them up for success in America.”
During the chaotic Afghanistan evacuation, Dan’s wish became my mission. In August 2021, I founded FAMIL, which means “family” in all Afghan languages, to assist vetted Afghan partners who supported the U.S. government during the war as they began new lives in the United States. Although much progress has been made, urgent work remains to fulfill our commitment to the warriors who gave everything to make America safer.
Among those served by FAMIL are former members of the Afghan National Strike Unit. These elite Afghan forces were instrumental in U.S. counterterrorism successes against al Qaeda, the Islamic State group and the Taliban. Nicknamed “the Zero Units,” the strike unit fought shoulder to shoulder with Americans, often serving as the tip of the spear on missions against suicide bombers and high-value terrorists. This didn’t come without hard losses, leaving many members dead or disabled.
On Aug. 15, 2021, as Kabul fell to the Taliban, the Afghan National Strike Unit was entrusted with its final mission: to secure Hamid Karzai International Airport, rescue American citizens and defend against potential attacks. Had it not been for the unit’s heroic actions, the U.S. could have suffered far greater casualties during one of the most disastrous withdrawals in American history. By the end of August, the U.S. government had exfiltrated more than 9,000 Afghan National Strike Unit members to the United States under the Special Immigrant Visa program, recognizing their faithful service and the credible threats they faced.
As they arrived in their new land, their faces numb from the chaos of the final days of the war, a small group of former CIA officers, U.S. military veterans and volunteers from FAMIL stood ready to embrace them.
Now, nearly four years later, FAMIL remains the primary lifeline and most vocal advocate for more than 3,000 Afghan National Strike Unit veterans stuck in legal limbo in the United States, waiting to complete visa processing and obtain permanent legal status. As they wait for U.S. green cards, many are losing their employment authorizations, causing them to lose their jobs, homes and ability to support their families. In some ways, these warriors face a tougher battle today than they ever did in combat.
Take, for example, Farid, an Afghan National Strike Unit veteran who served eight years in uniform. He recently lost his job managing a convenience store in Texas because he couldn’t provide proof of updated work authorization. He is now jobless and unsure how he and his family will survive while they wait for their special visas to be approved.
Farid is one of thousands of Afghan National Strike Unit veterans across the United States facing these difficulties and turning to FAMIL in desperation.
Former members of the unit are among America’s most thoroughly vetted Afghan partners. Yet despite their eligibility for special visas, they remain among the furthest from completing immigration processing because of significant bureaucratic challenges under the Biden administration. Although some progress was made, resources were largely directed toward refugee case processing while Afghan National Strike Unit veterans, among those with the most qualified visa cases, languished in the very country they had risked their lives to protect.
Fortunately, our Afghan comrades have found new hope under President Trump, whose administration recognizes the national security importance of supporting legal immigrants who have faithfully served our country in uniform, upheld American values and actively contributed to our nation — ideals these Afghan warriors exemplify.
The Afghan National Strike Unit never wavered in its commitment. We must stand by our closest counterterrorism partners by expediting their special immigrant visa cases and ensuring their employment authorizations remain valid until they receive permanent legal status. Welcoming these deeply patriotic veterans fully into American society fulfills our moral obligation and makes America stronger.
• Geeta Bakshi is a former CIA counterterrorism officer and founder and CEO of FAMIL. All statements of fact, opinion or analysis expressed are those of the author, and none reflects the official positions or views of the U.S. government. Nothing in the contents should be construed as asserting or implying U.S. government authentication of information or endorsement of the author’s views.
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