Visa Denial Puts Heroic Iraqi Translator in the Crosshairs
An Iraqi translator who has earned commendations for risking his life repeatedly to save the lives of many American soldiers in combat has been denied a visa to live in the United States because of nonviolent actions he took to overthrow Saddam Hussein — at the same time the U.S. government was calling for regime change in Iraq.
Jasim, whose name is being withheld for his safety, has received strong support from the U.S. military, and the Department of Homeland Security approved his application for a visa. But the State Department has denied Jasim a visa because he was arrested in 1996 for actions against the Saddam dictatorship.
Some of Jasim's supporters, however, believe the real reason he's been denied a visa is that he has become a "nuisance" to State Department personnel at the Baghdad Embassy. The State Department, citing privacy concerns, declined to discuss Jasim's case.
Pre-emptive Pardons and Cheap Grace
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Photo Credit:
*Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.*
Gage Skidmore
Pre-emptive pardons are fundamentally unearned blanket forgiveness.
10 hours ago
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