RantCrush Top 5: March 13, 2017

Afghanistan is not included in President Trump’s travel ban, but Afghans who worked for the U.S. military risking their own lives are now being told not to apply for special U.S. visas. As of last Thursday, applications would be denied, said the American Embassy in Kabul. It’s not clear whether this has to do with the travel ban, which restricts the total number of refugees let into the country. Afghans who help the U.S. risk retaliation in Afghanistan and have traditionally been able to apply for Special Immigrant Visas. These new rules could affect around 10,000 people. “Allowing this program to lapse sends the message to our allies in Afghanistan that the United States has abandoned them,” said Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat from New Hampshire. It also likely means that allies will be less inclined to work with the U.S. in Syria, perhaps having a negative effect on our military.

A deployment that never ends. They serve for years & now we expect them to live among the enemy forever?

Shameful.https://t.co/CeCtV6kEyD

— Jason Kander (@JasonKander) March 11, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.