Washington – A long line of Afghan Americans can be seen outside Rep. Eric Swalwell’s Castro Valley office last week.
They sought help from the Democratic congressman to rescue their loved ones in Afghanistan, with one family driving all the way from Texas.
As the Taliban takes over Afghanistan, with very little resistance, American lawmakers have watched, shocked at how quickly the fall of the government took place that the US spent 20 years trying to stabilize.
The representative said on Twitter: “If you’re willing to have one more American die in a 20-year war, please continue to criticize the WH decision on #Afghanistan.
If you’re not, please do all you can to help the refugees who will be coming with nothing to America.
It’s time for us to be our best & show compassion.”
After the Taliban seized Kabul last week following the Biden administration’s sudden withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, thousands of American citizens and Afghans trapped in the war-torn country are desperate to get out.
Many of their families seek help and assistance from the US Congress.
But lawmakers say there’s only so much they can do despite the efforts they put in to help.
“It’s been overwhelming for our staff, but they’re committed to doing all they can,” Swalwell (D-Dublin) said Tuesday.
Swalwell’s district is home to a large percentage of California’s Afghan American population.
The San Francisco Bay Area is home to roughly 60,000 Afghan Americans — the highest concentration in the country.
According to the representative, his Twitter is flooded with messages from concerned constituents seeking assistance to evacuate their family members from Afghanistan.
Several California lawmakers have made efforts to help in the evacuation efforts of people trapped in the country.
Both Swalwell and Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) have set up dedicated web pages and email addresses to provide guidance to individuals seeking to flee Afghanistan.
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Rep. Ami Bera (D-Elk Grove) said Tuesday that his office has submitted more than 6,500 names to the State Department and that members of the Congress have reached out to his office to seek further assistance including a colleague who advocated on behalf of three college students who could not get to the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul to flee the country.
Another representative, Rep. Scott Peters (D-Coronado) said his district — home to one of the largest veteran populations in the country — has been hit hard by the fallout in Afghanistan.
According to him, his office is working with volunteer networks and third-party groups such as the Truman Center for National Policy, which is helping evacuate Americans and allies from Afghanistan.
