Minnesotans seeking to help these left behind in Afghanistan
A Coon Rapids couple is desperately striving to support their former overseas exchange university student escape Afghanistan soon after the U.S. withdrawal and Taliban takeover.
COON RAPIDS, Minn. (FOX 9) – Whilst the focus in Afghanistan more than the previous two weeks has been positioned on evacuating citizens and allies, hundreds a lot more are still seeking to get out. Those people with ties to the United States are now fearing the worst.
A Coon Rapids couple is desperately striving to support their previous foreign exchange college student escape.
Each individual working day Betsy and Thomas Kiekhafer are logging on to their laptop or computer, hoping that the person on the other conclusion continues to answer.
“He’s making an attempt to continue to be optimistic but it’s hard you know,” claimed Betsy Kiekhafer.
For his security FOX 9 is not displaying his deal with or naming him. In 2010, the man lived with the Kiekhafers as a foreign trade pupil, graduating high college in Minnesota and going again to Afghanistan to attend the American university.
He returned to the U.S. adhering to graduation to gained his Learn of Enterprise Administration in advance of returning to Afghanistan not too long ago to be with relatives.
He believes his association with the U.S. helps make him a goal. He informed Betsy in Facebook messages that his tries to present his paperwork at the Kabul airport have been unsuccessful.
“He reported, ‘If they inquire if I tried to get into the airport, I put in one particular whole night time exterior just one gate and it was much too crowded to get shut,’” said Betsy Kiekhafer.
The Kiekhafers arrived at out to quite a few U.S. representatives for assist, with Congressman Dean Phillips’ workplace supplying guidance. Rep. Phillips’ workplace told FOX 9 that right after they inquired, the young gentleman was put on the Precedence 2 record for the refugee help method.
His visa ask for is one particular of numerous. Phillips’ business alone has referred far more than 1,650 names to the Condition Office in the past two weeks. The congressman explained they have five caseworkers in his business assigned to these requests. They are at this time doing work on a lot more than 60 cases involving extra than 500 men and women.
With the U.S. military services leaving the region, they understand the time he has to get out may possibly be working out.
“Effectively, I think it tends to make it extra challenging, but I assume there is however hope,” claimed Thomas Kiekhafer.
For now, they imagine his prepare is to lay lower for a couple of months, waiting for information from the State Department.
“That is likely what a large amount of people today are likely to be executing, attempting to steer clear of as considerably get hold of as attainable and hope for the best,” stated Thomas Kiekhafer. “Which is about all we have proper now is hope.”