ATLANTA — Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is urging the Trump Administration to delay sending back refugees from Afghanistan amid persecution by the Taliban.
Raffensperger sent a letter to the Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, asking for them to hear the asylum claims of Afghan Christian refugees living in the United States.
The refugees “face persecution and even execution by the Taliban” for their Christian beliefs, Raffensperger’s office said.
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After celebrating Easter on Sunday, Raffensperger said he “learned that several Afghan Christian refugees currently residing in the United States were told they had to return to Afghanistan. Many of these Afghan Christians had risked their lives for religious freedom and democratic values in service of American forces in-country, and we should make sure we hear their asylum claims before sending them back to a government that is known to persecute Christians.”
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As a result, Raffensperger is asking President Donald Trump and his administration to “ensure a full and fair vetting” of asylum claims of Afghan Christians before initiating their removals.
He said doing so would align with both Georgia’s and the U.S.’ “longstanding commitment to religious liberty and the values enshrined in our Constitution.”
Channel 2 Action News has reached out to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for comment on Raffensperger’s letter and is waiting for their response.
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