Wahab said that while many questions remain for investigators, it\u2019s clear that Afghans undergo some of the most rigorous security screening of any immigrant population, such as biometric data and interagency scrutiny.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe mere fact of this incident taking place should not be used as an excuse by political parties to demonize immigrants,\u201d Wahab said.<\/p>\n
She noted that Afghans who worked alongside U.S. forces did so under extraordinary circumstances \u2014 and at great personal risk \u2014 after being promised a path to safety<\/a> for themselves and their immediate families. Many, she said, are still coping with trauma from decades of war. She called for a balanced response.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are individuals that will have mental health issues, that will have PTSD, that will have a lot of other concerns,\u201d Wahab said, \u201cbut we also are a nation built by immigrants. And we need to honor that and make sure that people feel welcomed and supported and treated equally.\u201d<\/p>\n Azam said approximately 80% of recent Afghan arrivals are working, with many employed at major American companies or serving in the U.S. military. Halting their progress because of one violent act, he said, would be \u201ca tough pill to swallow.\u201d<\/p>\n He called on national leaders in both parties to return to the bipartisan cooperation that once guided Afghan resettlement, pointing to the 2021 testimony of Trump\u2019s former national security advisor-turned United Nations ambassador, Mike Waltz.<\/p>\n Waltz, the first Green Beret elected to the U.S. House, appeared<\/a> before Congress alongside one of his former Afghan interpreters as he urged the Biden White House to take care of its allies as the U.S. military completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need to ask ourselves, as Americans, what message are we sending in terms of keeping our promises, not only with the Afghans, but again, around the world?\u201d Waltz testified. \u201cThe bottom line is, we need to get them out. We have a moral obligation to get them out. This is not just a moral obligation, but it is a national security obligation.\u201d<\/p>\n Azam said the answer to one heinous act is not collective punishment: \u201cI hope cooler heads prevail.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.kqed.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/10\/20251018_NoKingsOakland_Hernandez-26_qed.jpg\")