Modesto’s Afghan community comes together seeking answers at emotional town hall event
Following the Taliban’s swift rise to power in Afghanistan this month, local organizations and elected officials came together Thursday night to help alleviate uncertainty, confusion and fear for members of Modesto’s Afghan community working to rescue family from the country.
“It’s a group of very concerned, very scared Afghans with family members still in harm’s way,” Sarah Williams of World Relief Modesto said.
About 120 people came to a Thursday evening town hall at Hope Commons Community Center, trying to find out how they could get Afghanistan-based family members on U.S. military rescue flights or otherwise help them leave.
Turlock Rep. Josh Harder’s office said it was working with about 160 people still stuck in Afghanistan as of Wednesday. Only one couple, a former Modesto immigrant now living in the Bay Area and his wife, are known to have left after the two fled Tuesday to Qatar.
One woman cried into a microphone as she talked about young and disabled family members still in the country with no one to take care of them. Others asked for clarification on confusing bureaucratic visa processes or what people trying to reach the airport for a rescue flight should do if the sounds of gunfire kept them from leaving their homes.
Speakers from World Relief, Modesto Junior College and elected officials’ offices took the stage, but most information came through a spokesperson for Turlock Rep. Josh Harder’s office.
Williams, who asked attendees to text her questions before Thursday’s event, said she received about 200 messages from people needing help.
Asad Omer, an Afghan who came to Modesto on a Special Immigrant Visa in 2013, said he’s been getting only a few hours of sleep each night as he fields questions through his immigration consulting business. He said many are concerned the Taliban will punish their relatives in Afghanistan for having ties to the U.S., despite the group pledging not to harm people.
One part that has been especially difficult, Omer said, is that the United States is prioritizing spouses and children when many Afghans are also trying to rescue parents and others they consider immediate family members. Omer’s own siblings and mother are still in Afghanistan, now in hiding while they wait for possible next steps.
“They have unknown futures,” Omer said. “We don’t know what’s going to happen to them.”
Omer said Americans should not judge Afghans on the history of their country, especially after 40 long years at war. Instead, he asked Americans to offer support and show compassion for their Afghan neighbors going through this difficult time.
“A simple hug or spending a few minutes with them can bring a smile to their faces,” Omer said. “The minority group of violent extremists do not represent us.”
Rep. Harder’s office speaks on available solutions
Ishtar Saiyady, Harder’s constituent services manager, came to Thursday’s event on behalf of Harder. She said the situation was personal for her, as an Iranian refugee herself.
“I know how frustrating this is, how scary this is,” Saiyady said.
Saiyady offered answers for as many different situations as she could despite complicated circumstances and limited options. She suggested people reach out to Harder’s office with further questions and recommended people trying to evacuate fill out the rescue flight request form, even if they have unfinished visa applications open or are in an uncertain situation.
Citizens and green card holders, along with their spouses and unmarried children under 21, should travel to Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport with proper documentation if possible. Once there, they should follow U.S. military instruction, as it may be more up-to-date than other communications they’ve received.
The only visas still being processed are Special Immigrant Visas for people who assisted U.S. troops in certain roles, such as translators and interpreters, Saiyady said. These visas can also cover spouses and unmarried children under 21. Those who already applied should contact Harder’s office since the government is working to approve these visas on a faster basis.
Other types of new visa applications are not being accepted because the U.S. embassy in Afghanistan is closed. However, people who already applied for a visa, even if they have not been approved, can still get on the list for rescue flights.
“They might change the rules soon and they might start accepting applications, but right now, everything is on hold,” Saiyady said.
Saiyady said people should prioritize their safety if violence prevents them from reaching a scheduled flight. Once their names are on the list, they should still be able to evacuate on another flight if they are able to get to the airport later than anticipated.
“Please advise your people when they are going to the airport to stay safe, as safe as they can, and to listen to instructions from the military,” Saiyady said.
