well they weren't given much notice but

resettlement organizations across new

jersey are in high gear preparing for

the influx of evacuees amid the massive

crowns of people attempting to get out

of afghanistan those who risked their

lives helping the u.s government over

the course of the two-decades-long war

in return they were promised protection

under the special immigrant visa program

les michigan brings us the story of one

afghan s.i.v holder who says achieving

that status is now harder and more

dangerous than ever his story is part of

our ongoing series chasing the dream

poverty and opportunity in america

i was scared for nearly a decade this

afghan native who wants his identity

protected worked security at a united

states army base in his homeland i was

in charge for 300 people by 2010 the

united states increased military

presence in afghanistan a few years

later when troops were being pulled back

the taliban started taking hold again

around that same time this man says he

feared more and more for his family's

safety he says he was receiving these

sorts of subtle threats oh this your

son oh do you see your daughter they go

to this call the taliban he alleges also

put explosive devices in his driveway on

two different occasions he says he had

to change houses five times in three

years so in 2014 he says he applied for

a special immigrant visa or siv which

permits someone to come to the united

states as a green card holder afghans

who worked closely with the u.s military

as interpreters in other capacities are

eligible it took him five years to

finally arrive in new jersey with his

wife and kids the process is

extremely long last week the white house

said some 2 thousand siv applicants and

their families had already arrived in

the united states but nearly 20 000 more

eligible afghan allies who risked their

lives to help u.s troops have applied

but still remain in limbo without visas

for themselves or their families this

afghan native says he is hearing stories

of the taliban going to their houses in

the middle of the night and some being

reported missing the next day this is

the most

dangerous part immigration attorney

eileen king english says in order to

receive a special immigrant visa you

need a letter of recommendation from the

u.s military and various other documents

before even becoming eligible for an

interview at the u.s embassy in kabul

which is now closed my understanding of

what's been happening on the ground

is that people who are documentarily

qualified are just receiving emails

directly from the department of state

to go to the airport

in order to try to evacuate however

the issue of course is it's it's not

safe for many people to actually get to

the airport and then once they get there

there's extremely long waits you know

i've heard reports of 30 plus hours

through

my colleagues they're with their

families they're with children there's

been tear gas deployed this man fears

for his former colleagues and remaining

family many are eligible to leave

finding it difficult to make happen

given the current crisis we've been

seeing huge reports of this people who

get to the airport

where

the u.s you know forces that are there

say if you don't if you're not a u.s

citizen or a green card holder we're not

going to board you on the flight

reverend seth kapperdill runs a program

called interfaith rise which helps

refugees and immigrants to find things

like permanent housing and employment

once they arrive in the u.s we have

somebody who

is here and his wife is still there

she's seven months pregnant the biden

administration says they want all u.s

troops out of afghanistan by august 31.

the taliban spokesperson announced there

would be no extension for evacuations

but these new jersey residents say it's

not enough time we're ready on this end

to receive people

but just the fact that everybody's you

know worried about a last day of august

deadline means that everyone is um

scrambling and maybe in ways that that

are slightly reckless as the situation

unfolds abroad reverend Kaper-Dale

praised the u.s administration rethinks

the deadline for nj spotlight news

i'm Leah Mishkin

major funding for chasing the dream is

provided by the jpb foundation with

additional funding from the peter g

peterson and joan ganz cooney fund

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