Afghan special forces commando seeking asylum gets caught in broken US immigration system
Abdul Wasi Safi was trained by the US military to be an elite special forces commando in Afghanistan and was arrested at the U.S.-Mexico border.Abdul Wasi Safi was trained by the U.S. military to be an elite special forces commando in Afghanistan. When Kabul fell, Wasi was still fighting the Taliban in the north. On Aug. 30, 2021, when the last U.S. plane left Kabul, Wasi went into hiding, moving from safe house to safe house arranged by U.S. veterans who helped him get to Pakistan. He hoped to receive a special immigrant visa and to legally move to the U.S.
The Taliban had his biometric data, left behind by the U.S. government, and they were hunting him. Now, Wasi sits in a Texas prison facing deportation to Kabul and certain death, a poster child for America's broken asylum system.
"I was in a special force commando unit with the U.S. military," Wasi told Fox News in a phone interview from Eden Detention Center in Texas. "I wanted to come to the United States. I don't select another country to help me because I was with them. But I come here, and they put me in jail."
He described a year-long treacherous journey across two continents. After receiving a visa to Brazil, he soon realized Afghans were viewed as terrorists in Latin America. So, he began making his way to the U.S. border. He made his way on foot and by bus through 10 countries and was robbed, tortured and beaten. He shared with Fox News some of the videos he took crossing the Darien Gap near Panama, a dangerous crossing. He received treatment along the way that he expected from the Taliban.
"Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico. I cross all that distance to come to United States because I was thinking and hoping the American government that they will help me," Wasi told Fox.
Instead, he was arrested at the border trying to cross the Rio Grande.
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Comments (5)
Having to worry about how to get food.is a big problem.
For those who have made it to Pakistan many of their visa's have expired and they are now worried sick that if they are stopped that they are being sent back to Afghanistan. Perish that thought.
Taliban are hunting them and their families, and when caught are tortured.
Canada can not keep the promise they have made, the shortage of homes, and also because many have entered from Ukraine.
Those in Pakistan whose visa's have expired are asking Canada to please send new visa's but Canada is not even doing that much for them...........
It leaves me feeling sick and all I can do is pray.