Afghan interpreter living in Iowa is facing deportation after his asylum application was denied 'for giving Taliban a piece of BREAD when he was nine years old'
- Zalmay Niazy served the U.S. military as an interpreter from 2007 to 2014 in Afghanistan before returning to the United States
- Niazy has been living in Iowa since and is seeking asylum
- He was asked about interactions with the Taliban during an asylum interview
- He then described the interaction he had with the Taliban as a 9-year-old, which included fetching them a piece of bread after being threatened
- Niazy claims he received a letter from DHS, saying they would no longer speak to him because of his interaction with the Taliban all those years ago
- He also says his asylum application was denied
- He went on to say that being deported would be 'getting a death sentence'
- DailyMail.com has reached out to DHS for comment on Niazy's claims
An Afghan interpreter currently living in Iowa claims he is facing deportation and has lost contact with the Department of Homeland Security for giving a piece of bread to the Taliban when he was a child.
Zalmay Niazy served the U.S. military as an interpreter from 2007 to 2014 in Afghanistan before returning to the United States.
Niazy has been living in Iowa since and is seeking asylum. He was asked about previous interactions with the Taliban during an asylum interview.
'I said, "I can’t hide that, I can’t lie about it, and yes, I did,"' Niazy said of the interview during comments on Tuesday on America's Newsroom.
Niazy described the Taliban as 'very brutal people who 'wanted to harm us and our family.'
Zalmay Niazy served the U.S. military as an interpreter from 2007 to 2014 in Afghanistan before returning to the United States
Niazy has been living in Iowa since and is seeking asylum. He was asked about previous interactions with the Taliban during an asylum interview
He then described the interaction he had with the Taliban as a 9-year-old.
'One day, out of nowhere, they came out to her [sic] house, they showed up while we’re playing outside and they said, "You are going home and bring a piece of bread,"' Niazy said.
'I went home, mom gave me a piece of bread, and they threatened that they would burn our house, kill your parents, if you don’t bring a piece of bread,' he continued.
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'My mom gave me a piece of bread not bigger than a cell phone and tossed it to them and said that they are just smugglers. They are just people that we have to stay away from, and that’s why we are not allowed to go outside.'
Niazy claims he received a letter from DHS, saying they would no longer speak to him because of his interaction with the Taliban all those years ago. He also says his asylum application was denied.
'And the reason they said was because I engaged in terrorist activity,' Niazy said. 'When I shared that with my lawyer, he said it was material support that the United States is against it, and that’s what caused this problem.'
'What they are saying doesn’t make sense,' Niazy added. 'I sacrificed my life, my family’s life. I got shot for this country, and I have survived many other attacks on me. They can contact their U.S. citizens, their federal government that I have served with, all at high ranks and they will be able to explain everything I did for this country.'
Niazy went on to say that being deported would be akin to 'getting a death sentence'
He went on to say that being deported would be akin to 'getting a death sentence.'
Dana Perino, a co-host of America's Newsroom, said she contacted Iowa senators Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley while suggesting the White House get involved.
DailyMail.com has reached out to DHS for comment on Niazy's claims.
Just two weeks ago, President Joe Biden promised to move the 18,000 Afghans who helped the U.S. war effort and are awaiting visas to a safe location amid fears of Taliban revenge.
Press secretary Jen Psaki said the administration was doing 'extensive planning for potential evacuation' of Afghans who have worked as translators, drivers, cooks and in other positions helping the U.S. war effort.
More than 18,000 are stuck trying to apply for Special Immigrant Visas, with the U.S.'s involvement in Afghanistan ending in two months. If left in Afghanistan, those allied with the U.S. could be murdered by the Taliban.
'These are individuals who have played an incredibly courageous role in helping the United States at various times over the course of our recent history,' White House press secretary Jen Psaki said. 'We are processing and getting people out at a record pace.'
'We are working with Congress right now to streamline some of the requirements that slow this process down and we're doing the kind of extensive planning for potential evacuation should that become necessary,' Psaki continued.
The translators who served alongside Americans are stranded and begging for visas to let them escape the hell they face, with just months until all troops are gone. They are all under threat, and when the US ends its military presence on September 11, they will be even more exposed to the violence of the Taliban, who have grown increasingly violent since Biden announced he was pulling out US forces
Press secretary Jen Psaki said the administration was doing 'extensive planning for potential evacuation' of Afghans who have worked as translators, drivers, cooks and in other positions helping the U.S. war effort
Some have been waiting years to have their application approved, with the longest dating back to 1981, according to No One Left Behind, the non-profit charity fighting to make sure the U.S. government keeps their promise to those who supported the military during some of the most intense fighting in Helmand Province
'So we're continuing to evaluate what are options are there, continuing to take steps forward and certainly we want to take every step we can take from the federal government to treat all these courageous individuals as they deserve,' she added.
Psaki confirmed that the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks remains the Afghanistan drawdown deadline.
Some have been waiting years to have their application approved, with the longest dating back to 1981, according to No One Left Behind, the non-profit charity fighting to make sure the U.S. government keeps their promise to those who supported the military during some of the most intense fighting in Helmand Province.
The organization says 300 Afghan interpreters have been killed in targeted attacks while waiting to secure their visas since 2014, but the exact numbers are unknown.
Rep. Michael Waltz told DailyMail.com: 'Afghan translators have been vital American partners on the ground and their lives are in danger if we can't get them out soon.
'The military has testified that they are ready to evacuate but the Biden Administration must make it a priority to green light their extraction.
'I can't emphasize how detrimental it would be to our national security interests if we signaled to the rest of the world that we are willing to leave those who help us against the enemy behind to die.'
