(30 Jul 2021) Virginia Senator Tim Kaine applauded the arrival of the first flight of evacuated Afghans who worked alongside Americans in Afghanistan.
The first evacuation flight brought more than 200 people, scores of them children and babies in arms, to new lives in the United States on Friday.
The airliner carrying the interpreters and their family members landed in the early morning hours on Friday in Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C..
"We feel particularly supportive and even proud that we can be the initial place of touching soil in the United States as these Afghan SIVs and their family members begin a next exciting, challenging chapter of opportunity in this country," Kaine said.
The Afghans are staying at a hotel on the Fort Lee army base after their arrival at Dulles.
"Just as waves of immigrants before have enriched our nation, these Afghans are already enriching our nation and will continue to do so."
The flights are dubbed Operation Allies Refuge and are intended to bring to the U.S. Afghans who are farthest along in their visa process. The interpreters, translators and others fear reprisals from Afghanistan's Taliban as the last U.S. troops leave.
Congress on Thursday overwhelmingly approved legislation that would allow an additional 8,000 visas and $500 million in funding for the Afghan visa program.
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