WASHINGTON -- Multiple Democratic lawmakers will bring Iraqi translators who worked with U.S. forces during the war as guests to President Donald Trump's congressional address Tuesday night, as a form of protest to his immigration politics.
Iraq War veteran Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., will host Abdulla Sindi, a former Iraqi interpreter now working on her staff. Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., will bring Ahmed Alsaeedi, a former interpreter who lives in his district.
Rep. Nydia Velázquez, D-N.Y., has invited Hameed Darweesh, an Iraqi translator who was detained last month at a New York airport because of Trump's new immigration orders. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, and Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., both invited family members of translators affected by the travel ban.
Last month, Trump signed a controversial executive order including a 90-day ban on travel into the United States by citizens of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen, and a 120-day suspension of the U.S. refugee program.
Multiple veterans groups protested those actions orders because exceptions were not made for individuals who aided U.S. forces overseas, even though those foreign nationals already undergo years of background checks before admission to the United States.
That order has been put on hold after a series of court challenges, and Trump has vowed to issue an updated order to address the issue. Department of Homeland Security officials have indicated that the new plan will include carve outs for people who worked with U.S. forces in wartime.
But lawmakers inviting the translators said they want to send a message to Trump that refugees and immigrants should we welcome, and are not a threat to America.
"Abdulla served our country when we went to war and helped keep American troops safe," Duckworth said in a statement. "He is the embodiment of American values, but President Trump’s discriminatory travel ban would have prevented refugees like him from coming to America. That’s not the America I bled to defend."
Other lawmakers — Republicans and Democrats — have invited refugees, health care advocates and gun violence victims as protest statements for the Trump event.
And Trump will also have several guests to underscore his insistence on immigration reform, including the family members of three Americans killed by undocumented immigrants.
Trump’s speech to Congress begins at 9 p.m.
Leo Shane III covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He can be reached at lshane@militarytimes.com.
Leo covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He has covered Washington, D.C. since 2004, focusing on military personnel and veterans policies. His work has earned numerous honors, including a 2009 Polk award, a 2010 National Headliner Award, the IAVA Leadership in Journalism award and the VFW News Media award.
