McCaul says Afghan allies deserve refugee admission in US by Mujeeb Rahman Awrang Stanikzai

WASHINGTON — Representative Michael McCaul on Sunday called on the U.S. government to allow Afghan allies who assisted American forces during the war in Afghanistan to be admitted as refugees, following the suspension of the refugee admissions program by President Donald Trump.

Thousands of Afghans who worked alongside U.S. forces—many as interpreters—remain stranded in third countries, facing uncertainty after the policy change.

“I do believe that it was an unintended consequence that needs to be fixed,” McCaul said on CBS’s Face the Nation. “We promised them protection when they worked with our service members in Afghanistan. These are the interpreters, the ones who rode right alongside our combat forces. They have special immigrant visas and Priority-1 and Priority-2 refugee status.”

He added that the U.S. “ought to live up” to its commitments. “Otherwise, in another conflict down the road, no one is going to trust us,” he warned.

McCaul also urged the Trump administration to “move more expeditiously” in granting waivers for humanitarian aid, following the suspension of foreign assistance under a January 20 executive order.

Speaking on Face the Nation, he argued that aid programs provide stability in fragile states.

“Our foreign adversaries are watching this,” McCaul said, referring to cuts to USAID and foreign aid implemented by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. “We need a strong presence in destabilized nations to keep out our adversaries.”

While Secretary of State Marco Rubio has approved a waiver for life-saving assistance, the United Nations has warned that the aid freeze will severely impact vulnerable populations.