Afghans from Nebraska lead Capitol Hill vigil

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – For 15 days, Nebraskan Safi Rauf and his brothers, Anees Kahlil and Zabhi Kahlil, led a vigil on Capitol Hill. The aim: to encourage passage of the Afghan Adjustment Act.

6 Information reporter Brent Weber interviewed Rauf, a U.S. Navy veteran Millard South Excessive Faculty graduate, on the ultimate day of the vigil, which ended September 29 on the shut of the congressional session with none vote on the Afghan Adjustment Act. The invoice stays in committee, so the vigil will resume on the street at varied places till congress returns after the primary of the 12 months. The Zoom interview was edited for broadcast.

”We’re right here to advocate for the passage of the Afghan Adjustment Act. The Afghan Adjustment Act is a regulation that may present, at the beginning, it should present enhanced vetting for everyone who arrived in america final 12 months. We are able to see how that’s essential for our nationwide safety,” stated Safi Rauf, Founder/President of Human First Coalition.

“Second, of all these individuals who arrived final 12 months and don’t have a everlasting residency pathway to remain right here within the U.S. as a result of they got here on a two-year visa program.”

“Third, it creates an interagency process power that may oversee all the work that’s left to be carried out in Afghanistan. This invoice is essential not just for the Afghan allies who’re right here and [those] who’re left behind, however this is essential for our veterans, our veterans who’re advocating for this passage, who’ve fought shoulder with our Afghan allies, are calling for this invoice to be handed in congress. So we now have overwhelming help from our veteran brothers and sisters,” stated Rauf.

They’ve heard from many fellow veterans who’ve come by and supplied their help, along with some celebrities, too.

“Truly Jon Stewart stopped by yesterday and he has given his full help to this invoice. We’ve had Senator Blumenthal stopped by, Senator Coons, Senator Klobuchar, many, many extra,” stated Rauf.

With a well-represented household, who else is there?

“I’ve [brother] Anees right here with me, who flew down right here from Nebraska to affix us, after which I’ve Zahbi over there as properly, so that they’re all right here and you realize we now have left our households and our family members behind and are sitting right here on the Capitol to principally advocate for our Afghan allies, you realize these Afghan allies sacrificed a lot for us during the last 20 years and that is the least we will do for them,” stated Rauf.

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