Dewey Yopp, a retired American army special forces officer, was sent to Afghanistan in 2002 to form a new Afghan army during the first days of the war in Afghanistan. He met Amir, his 18 -year -old Afghan translator at the airport on the first day, and said that Amir continued to save his life four times.
“Amir dragged me, under fire, at a Medevac point,” Yopp told CBS News of one of these cases.
After The United States has withdrawn Of the country in 2021, Yopp rushed to obtain a special immigrant visa For Afghan allies. Amir asked CBS News to hide its real name for security reasons.
“If someone saves your life, your souls are linked to eternity,” said Yopp. “He’s like a son for me, really.”
Three years later, the Amir visa was approved and his family received green cards. They came to the United States and settled in Kentucky, meeting with Yopp 22 years after their first meeting in Afghanistan.
Yopp now spends most days with Amir’s children, who call him “grandfather”.
Thousands of Afghans living in the United States are now afraid of deportation after a federal court of appeal on Monday evening refused to freeze The efforts of the Trump administration to end their legal status. Amir is a special recipient of the immigrant visa, given to the American allies who helped during the war. Although he and his family have green cards, he is still afraid of being sent back from the White House threatened To also expel holders of green cards.
Amir risked reprisals by the Taliban to help American soldiers because work in Afghanistan at the time was rare and the prospect of security abroad was attractive. He told CBS News that the promise that had been made to him in exchange for risking his life was: “Your family will go to America. It was promised with all those who work with us”
Amir said that he was hiding for years after his service, feeling betrayed by the United States, until Yopp intervenes to make the commitment of America and helped him ensure his visa. Thousands of veterans of the Afghanistan War across the country have taken on them to help their translators and other Afghan allies come to the United States safely and settle here. But Amir says that it is not the work of veterans to carry out the vow of protection that the government previously made them.
Trump administration has been targeted several times Afghan refugees, stopping flights with Afghan allies to arrive, freeze resettlement services, put in Afghanistan on the list of travel prohibitions and end the Temporary Protection Status Program (TPS) for Afghan refugees. Yopp says it is a “moral injury” to veterans to see it happening to those who helped them during the war.
As part of the administration’s efforts to end the TPS program, the interior security secretary Kristi Noem claimed That Afghanistan is now safe for Afghans, an Amir point disputes.
“Okay, if Afghanistan is safe, why do you say to your citizens:” Do not go to Afghanistan? “”, Said Amir in reference to the State Department “Do not travel“Advisory for Afghanistan.” In my opinion, [it’s] sure, but for you, [it’s] Not safe? I’m not sure. “
Amir fears that even as a holder of green cards, he and his family be sent back, because the White House has also threatened to expel holders of green cards.
These days, he works two jobs, seven days a week, to support his family. He said he has only succeeded in the past because of the $ 500 per month that Yopp, which is retired, would give him.
“It was really a slap to see the programs that were in force, to be removed,” said Yopp.
Amir added: “The Americans should not make a promise with the Afghans, and now [you’re] Make a problem for them. So why [did] you make [that] promise?”
