In an interview with Birmingham’s WIAT CBS 42, U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) expressed his opposition to extending Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) to Afghan nationals, which would allow them to resettle in the United States due to ongoing political threats posed in their home country.
Calls from United States lawmakers for allowing Afghans to enter the nation have heightened over the recent collapse of their government, which is now under Taliban rule.
Brooks, known for his hardline positions regarding immigration, on Wednesday fiercely objected to such proposals.
“We cannot import all of the people who should be staying in their home country fighting for freedom,” said Brooks, later noting that there are certain American allies that should be evacuated from the besieged country.
He added, “Please understand that if you take from Afghanistan the people who believe in liberty and freedom, then you are empowering the Taliban to do exactly what has happened. The leadership has collapsed in Afghanistan because the leadership has fled. Now, in the United States of America in 1776, our leaders did not flee when the issue was liberty and freedom, we fought and we won.”
The North Alabama congressman pointed to Middle Eastern conflicts where the United States has intervened in Muslim-majority countries, which in turn he said has led to the rise of extremist elements of Islam.
“In my judgment, the outcome we have seen, although badly mismanaged by the Biden administration, the outcome we have seen was inevitable,” said Brooks. “If you look at history, name an instance in which the United States of America has been engaged in an Islamic nation where the outcome has been good,” pointing to American intervention in Iran, Iraq and Libya.
Brooks, along with U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) was one of only two lawmakers from Alabama’s congressional delegation who voted against the Democrat-sponsored Averting Loss of Life and Injury by Expediting SIVs Act of 2021. The legislation, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives in late July, would increase the number of SIVs available to certain Afghan nationals.
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
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