To the Editor:
Re “Congress Ends Visas for Afghan Partners, Closing a Path to the U.S.” (news article, Feb. 6):
By allowing the Special Immigrant Visa program for Afghan wartime partners to quietly lapse, Congress has placed America’s credibility, and thousands of vetted Afghan families, in jeopardy.
At Global Refuge, where we have resettled thousands of Afghan allies, we see the human toll of this uncertainty every day: in every child who lies awake at night worrying about parents still in hiding, in spouses separated by continents, and in fractured families unsure if they will ever hold their loved ones again.
That they remain stranded overseas, vulnerable precisely because of their ties to the United States, reflects a monumental failure to uphold the commitments we made to the allies of America’s longest war.
This inaction also comes amid a broader dismantling of humanitarian protections for Afghans, including unprecedented cuts to refugee admissions, the termination of Temporary Protected Status and Afghanistan’s inclusion in sweeping travel and visa bans.
At the same time, the administration’s continuing “re-review” of lawfully admitted refugees is poised to throw even previously vetted Afghans into renewed uncertainty about their status.
Taken together, these decisions send a troubling message about whether our government intends to keep its word. America’s promise to those who stood alongside our service members was never merely symbolic.
For thousands of Afghan families and the countless Americans who stand in solidarity with them, it was a commitment that must still be honored.
Timothy Young Baltimore The writer is the director of public relations for Global Refuge, a national refugee resettlement nonprofit.
Timely Election Results Build Voter Confidence
To the Editor:
Re “How California Is Damaging Faith in Government” (editorial, Feb. 22):
The editorial board is correct that California and several other states need to get their acts together and count votes faster.
Many states have taken steps in recent years to modernize equipment, improve signature verification processes and increase transparency to build confidence in outcomes. As a former governor and secretary of state of Arizona, I can tell you we have long relied on early and mail voting, paired with strong verification standards and clear deadlines.
Through my work with RightCount, I’ve seen that voters throughout America, and across the political spectrum, want the same thing: elections that are accurate, transparent and resolved promptly. Prolonged uncertainty fuels distrust and gives oxygen to misinformation and conspiracy theories.
The Constitution reserves the power of election administration to the states. We don’t need a federal takeover or efforts to “nationalize” the midterm elections; we need state leaders willing to refine their systems and learn from what works.
All states — whether battleground, blue or red — share a responsibility to remain vigilant in ensuring accuracy, efficiency and public confidence in our elections.
Jan Brewer Glendale, Ariz.
Russian Sexual Atrocities in Ukraine
To the Editor:
Re “A Hidden Trauma: Sexual Violence by Russian Soldiers” (news article, Feb. 24):
The brave Ukrainian women who spoke to The New York Times about sexual assault atrocities committed by invading Russian troops — and the brave journalists who reported their accounts — offer a wake-up call for all women. Attacks on democracy and attacks on women’s rights go hand in hand.
Authoritarian rule, by dictators such as Vladimir Putin, inherently means more impunity for violence against women. Wars of aggression always bring attacks on the human rights of civilians and targeted violations of women.
All women who read our Ukrainian sisters’ accounts with compassion and outrage should realize that the defense of democracy is the defense of ourselves — and should demand an end to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
Jane Manning Bronx The writer is a lawyer and an advocate for survivors of sexual assault.
Cash for the 250th
To the Editor:
I was left aghast by “Embassies Raising Cash for July 4th” (Business, Feb. 17), as ambassadors are forced to solicit cash from companies in host countries to celebrate our 250th birthday. Having your guests pay for your birthday party is gauche and disrespectful. Need any more be said?
Wesley Glassgow Knoxville, Tenn.
The post At Risk: Afghan Allies and America’s Credibility appeared first on New York Times.
