The Biden administration will reportedly seek to relocate former Afghan interpreters for the U.S. military to a third country. The interpreters and their families would remain there, in safety, until the United States processes their visa applications for permanent relocation to our nation.
When it comes to Central American migrants, however, the Biden administration has taken the opposite approach. It reversed the Trump administration’s “remain in Mexico” policy, which required asylum-seekers from Central America to stay in Mexico while their claims were being reviewed.
Both those Afghans who helped U.S. forces in Afghanistan and the migrants fleeing violence in Central America should have to wait in a third country while their requests are being determined. This action is crucial to protect our borders and avoid an influx of those who may present a danger to the country — a mission that is not being taken seriously by the Biden administration.
Why the contrast in strategy?
Central American migrants, like any immigrant, understandably want to come to America for a better life. We should not resent that ambition on their part. Still, Afghan translators should have priority. They played an invaluable role in assisting U.S. troops fighting the Taliban and other terrorist groups. They put their lives, and those of their families, on the line for America. The least we owe them is a chance to live in safety. It is ludicrous that they be treated worse than immigrants who, while likely decent people, have not served America in war.
The Biden administration should reinstate the “remain in Mexico” policy for Central American migrants. It would then show balance in its treatment of those seeking a better life and those who have risked their lives for ours.
Jackson Richman is a journalist in Washington, D.C. Follow him @jacksonrichman.
