'Many more are still waiting': Bipartisan bill to speed up immigration process for Afghan interpreters passes House

The U.S. House of Representatives recently approved a measure that seeks to expedite the process of obtaining a special immigration visa to come to the United States in an attempt to aid Afghans fearing retaliation from the Taliban after collaborating with American forces, according to a CBS report.

The Honoring Our Promises through Expedition (HOPE) For Afghan SIVs Act, which was sponsored by Rep. Jason Crow, passed 366 to 36.

"We recently welcomed one Afghan translator's family to #TX07," U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (D-Houston) stated on Twitter. "Many more are still waiting. Glad to vote for the HOPE for Afghan SIVs Act, which @RepJasonCrow led and I cosponsored, to help the families who helped our troops get to safety as soon as possible."

Specifically, the legislation "waive(s) the requirement to undergo a medical exam for aliens who are otherwise eligible for special immigrant status under the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009, and for other purposes."

Sayed, whose real name is withheld for security concerns, is one of the thousands of Afghans waiting in Kabul for the processing of his special immigrant visa application. The 14-step procedure usually takes years to complete and currently, 9,000 people have already started the application process.

"My concern is that it is not a big deal for them to take care of the left-behind troops in Afghanistan," Sayed told CBS News. "I cannot even go out of my home, I can do nothing."

Sayed's job as an interpreter is no longer required with the U.S.'s withdrawal from Afghanistan. However, with the Taliban still there, finding other work is impossible.

His brother, Ahmad, who also served as an interpreter for American troops, escaped to the United States in 2014 after being targeted by the Taliban. Now, Ahmad is concerned for his brother's safety.

"In the past, the Taliban have not forgiven anybody they have captured affiliated with U.S. forces," Ahmad told CBS News. "They do not reason. They kill on the spot."

Other bills have been introduced to increase the number of visas available and to remove the need for "a credible sworn statement" used to prove the applicant's susceptibility to harm.

Many uncertainties regarding the evacuation's logistics remain unresolved, including where the Afghan allies would be transported and when the evacuations will begin.

Currently, Guam is being considered as a possible site for relocation as the American territory has previously been utilized by the U.S. to evacuate Vietnamese refugees in 1975 and Iraqi Kurds in 1996.