SAN DIEGO – U.S. combat veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan say they are outraged at the temporary ban on immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries that has blocked visas for Iraqi interpreters who risked their lives to help American troops on the battlefield.
Thousands of veterans have signed petitions. One soldier says he has bought a plane ticket for his Afghan translator in case that country is added to the list of banned nations.
Many veterans say they feel betrayed by the executive order signed by President Donald Trump on Friday that also suspends the admission of all refugees to the U.S. for 120 days and all Syrian refugees indefinitely.
They say the fight feels personal because they gave their word to people who aided American troops that the United States would protect them and their families.
“This administration just made me a liar in a very significant way, and I’m not willing to accept this,” said Iraq and Afghanistan combat veteran Michael Breen, president and CEO of the Truman National Security Project, a Washington-based nonprofit think tank.