Americans are in an all-out effort to get people out of Afghanistan, both U.S. citizens and Afghan nationals.As Kabul fell and the Taliban took over, government processes halted to get Afghans out who had helped the U.S. government.Now citizens and congresspeople are working to get people to safety any way they can.Shelli Heil is an American economist.She spent two years in Afghanistan working in rural communities to put municipalities in place.”I’d go out, put the flak jacket on, go outside, get in the armored vehicle, drive like eight blocks to our office,” Heil said. “Work directly with the mayors and pubic officials really to strengthen them, to do budgetary work, to do some small public works projects. We’d also teach people how to ask for things and the municipal services that should be provided and how taxes and things work and to give them a voice.”She was part of a U.S. aid program with 80 Afghan men working with her. When she left in 2014, the United States had launched a special immigrant Visa program.Heil began writing letters for around 20 of her former co-workers.”Most of the guys I think felt there was good change coming and they could stay but as things happened over time and they were sometimes in difficult positions they were telling me they really saw the U.S. as a chance,” she said. “I started writing the letters and it was just a few at first but of course as time went on more and more.”Now she needs to get the other 60 out.She’s writing recommendation letters as quickly as possible to help them, and their families, get here as part of that special immigrant Visa program.“Right now it’s a critical time and a difficult time. They were recognized, because they worked with the government and in a municipal level like that you’re very local. They were really well known, people knew they had worked for the us government and that was the critical part, is they felt they were going to be targeted,” Heil said.She said some of her co-workers have already been killed for their service.”These are some of the most gentle, wonderful people that I’ve ever met in my life,” Heil said.She doesn’t want it to happen again. She said her former co-workers served their mission. Now it’s her mission to help.”They really were in many ways my family so I felt it was my duty to try to do what I could for them,” she said. “They are people that did their mission and they knew the risks, and they did it anyways. I think they have a right to be here and I think it’s my duty and ours to help them.”Congressman Don Bacon’s office is stepping in too, partnering with the refugee empowerment center to help get passports and visas to help people escape.They’re prioritizing Americans, then permanent citizens, Afghans with the SIV’s Heil is hoping to get done, then refugees.“We are getting overwhelmed with requests w assistance and help from a lot of people who are either family members of people in Afghanistan almost everybody is saying we are hiding in our basements trying to stay safe the Taliban are everywhere it’s not safe to go outside please help us,” Felix Ungerman said. “I want to make sure they have the best chance possible I don’t want anything to happen to them I’m just kind of in mission mode right now.”
Americans are in an all-out effort to get people out of Afghanistan, both U.S. citizens and Afghan nationals.
As Kabul fell and the Taliban took over, government processes halted to get Afghans out who had helped the U.S. government.
Now citizens and congresspeople are working to get people to safety any way they can.
Shelli Heil is an American economist.
She spent two years in Afghanistan working in rural communities to put municipalities in place.
“I’d go out, put the flak jacket on, go outside, get in the armored vehicle, drive like eight blocks to our office,” Heil said. “Work directly with the mayors and pubic officials really to strengthen them, to do budgetary work, to do some small public works projects. We’d also teach people how to ask for things and the municipal services that should be provided and how taxes and things work and to give them a voice.”
She was part of a U.S. aid program with 80 Afghan men working with her. When she left in 2014, the United States had launched a special immigrant Visa program.
Heil began writing letters for around 20 of her former co-workers.
“Most of the guys I think felt there was good change coming and they could stay but as things happened over time and they were sometimes in difficult positions they were telling me they really saw the U.S. as a chance,” she said. “I started writing the letters and it was just a few at first but of course as time went on more and more.”
Now she needs to get the other 60 out.
She’s writing recommendation letters as quickly as possible to help them, and their families, get here as part of that special immigrant Visa program.
“Right now it’s a critical time and a difficult time. They were recognized, because they worked with the government and in a municipal level like that you’re very local. They were really well known, people knew they had worked for the us government and that was the critical part, is they felt they were going to be targeted,” Heil said.
She said some of her co-workers have already been killed for their service.
“These are some of the most gentle, wonderful people that I’ve ever met in my life,” Heil said.
She doesn’t want it to happen again. She said her former co-workers served their mission. Now it’s her mission to help.
“They really were in many ways my family so I felt it was my duty to try to do what I could for them,” she said. “They are people that did their mission and they knew the risks, and they did it anyways. I think they have a right to be here and I think it’s my duty and ours to help them.”
Congressman Don Bacon’s office is stepping in too, partnering with the refugee empowerment center to help get passports and visas to help people escape.
They’re prioritizing Americans, then permanent citizens, Afghans with the SIV’s Heil is hoping to get done, then refugees.
“We are getting overwhelmed with requests w assistance and help from a lot of people who are either family members of people in Afghanistan almost everybody is saying we are hiding in our basements trying to stay safe the Taliban are everywhere it’s not safe to go outside please help us,” Felix Ungerman said. “I want to make sure they have the best chance possible I don’t want anything to happen to them I’m just kind of in mission mode right now.”