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U.S. NEWS Monday 17 July 2017
Afghan girls robotics team arrives

in U.S. just in time

By JOSH LEDERMAN entering the U.S.
Associated Press The girls’ story has also re-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Twice newed the focus on the
rejected for U.S. visas, longer-term U.S. plans for
an all-girls robotics team aiding Afghanistan’s fu-
from Afghanistan arrived ture, as Trump’s administra-
in Washington early Satur- tion prepares a new military
day after an extraordinary, strategy that will include
last-minute intervention by sending more troops to the
President Donald Trump. country where the U.S. has
The six-girl team and their been fighting since 2001.
chaperone completed Defense Secretary Jim Mat-
their journey just after mid- tis said Friday the strategy
night from their hometown was moving forward but
of Herat, Afghanistan, to “not finalized yet.” Afghanistan team member Lisa Azizi troubleshoots the team’s
enter their ball-sorting ro- Trump’s personal interven- robot entry prior to the opening ceremony for the FIRST Global
bot in the three-day high tion earlier in the week us- Challenge in Washington, Sunday, July 16, 2017.
school competition starting ing a rare “parole” mech- Associated Press
Sunday in the U.S. capital. anism to sidestep the visa
Awaiting them at the gate system ended a dramatic them in on “parole,” a tem- to let in someone who is
at Washington Dulles Inter- saga in which the team porary status used only in otherwise ineligible to enter
national Airport were a U.S. twice traveled from their exceptional circumstances the country. q
special envoy and Afghan home in western Afghani-
Ambassador Hamdullah stan through largely Tal-
Mohib, who described it as iban-controlled territory
a rare moment of celebra- to Kabul, where their visa
tion for his beleaguered applications were denied
nation. twice.
“Seventeen years ago, this The U.S. won’t say why the
would not have been possi- girls were rejected for vi-
ble at all,” Mohib said in an sas, citing confidentiality.
interview. “They represent But Mohib said that based
our aspirations and resil- on discussions with U.S. of-
ience despite having been ficials, it appears the girls
brought up in a perpetual were rebuffed due to con-
conflict. These girls will be cerns they would not re-
proving to the world and turn to Afghanistan. It’s a
the nation that nothing will fate that has beset many
prevent us from being an Afghans seeking entry to
equal and active member the U.S. in recent years as
of the international com- continuing violence and
munity.” economic challenges
In the short time since their lead many to seek asylum
visa dilemma drew global in America, or to travel
attention, the girls’ case through the U.S. to Canada
has become a flashpoint in to try to resettle there.
the debate about Trump’s As their case gained at-
efforts to tighten entrance tention, Trump intervened
to the U.S., including from by asking National Security
many majority-Muslim Council officials to find a
countries. Afghanistan isn’t way for them to travel, of-
included in Trump’s tempo- ficials said. Ultimately the
rary travel ban, but critics State Department, which
have said the ban is em- adjudicates visa applica-
blematic of a broader ef- tions, asked the Homeland
fort to put a chill on Muslims Security Department to let