Rep. Rokita Welcomes Afghan Hero to U.S. After Long Visa Fight

Press Release

Today, Congressman Todd Rokita welcomed to the United States Hayat Nooristani, the Afghan translator who repeatedly put his life in danger to protect American troops. Congressman Rokita's aide, Anthony Will, worked tirelessly to help Mr. Nooristani secure a visa and escape numerous threats to his life in Afghanistan by reaching out to the National Visa Center (NVC), the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, and the State Department.

"I am pleased my staff and I were able to help cut through the red tape of the State Department and get Hayat out of harm's way," said Rokita. "We are extremely grateful for the assistance he provided our men and women in combat and believe his assistance should be rewarded. Time and again, he put himself in danger to protect our troops. I know we all expect him to make us proud, as he becomes a Hoosier and an American."​

Mr. Nooristani comes to the United States through the issuance of a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) for Afghans. On August 8, 2014, after pressure from Congress, President Obama signed into law an extension of this program, which increased the number of available visas by 1,000. There are still thousands of SIV applicants navigating their way through the bureaucratic nightmare.

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