A bipartisan group of House lawmakers wants to offer special immigrant visas to Kurdish fighters and their families who fought with the U.S. against the Islamic State.
The bipartisan bill unveiled Wednesday comes as opposition on Capitol Hill mounts to President Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. forces from a buffer zone between Syria and Turkey, with many arguing that the move abandons Kurdish forces that have long assisted American troops in the counter-ISIS coalition. If approved, the legislation could pave the way for up to 4,000 special immigrant visas authorized for Syrians and Kurds who qualify.
“This bill is about the promise we made to our partners, in this case, the men and women of the Syrian Democratic Forces, who have been our primary ally on the ground in the fight against ISIS,” said Rep. Jason Crow, Colorado Democrat and lead sponsor of the legislation.
Rep. Michael Waltz, a Florida Republican who co-sponsored the bill, said “our Kurdish allies put their lives and the lives of their families on the line, risking retaliation, to help us fight terrorism. They deserve our country’s gratitude.”
The legislation — which has received support from Reps. Seth Moulton, Massachusetts Democrat; Don Bacon, Nebraska Republican; Earl Blumenauer, Oregon Democrat; and Jim Langevin, Rhode Island Democrat — mirrors similar programs that were launched for Iraqi and Afghan translators during the George W. Bush administration, according to a press release.
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