No One Left Behind

No One Left Behind advocates for the Special Immigrant Visa It conducts three major programs in support of Afghan and Iraqi interpreters for the U.S. government, Special Immigrant Visa recipients and their families. First, No One Left Behind conducts advocacy work in support of the SIV program, to include both annual authorizations for new SIVs and efforts to ensure existing visa processing is fair and consistent with Congress' intent. No One Left Behind is nonpartisan and works with administrations and members of Congress of both parties. It also advises federal agencies on how to execute and improve the SIV program.

Advisory Board member, and retired general, David Petraeus has advocated for the SIV program as a "moral obligation."

Second, No One Left Behind provides direct aid to Special Immigrant Visa recipients and their families to fund basic needs like rent, groceries, furniture, and automobiles. Through a partnership with The Change Reaction, it also provides no interest loans. Since 2014, No One Left Behind has provided assistance to over 10,000 Special Immigrant Visa recipients and their family members.

Third, through its network of SIV Ambassadors and staff social workers, No One Left Behind provides community assistance to SIV families when they encounter unique challenges, family emergencies, or have special needs. No One Left Behind also leads efforts to connect, organize and build SIV communities within local areas.

Former Governor Thomas H. Kean and former Representative Lee H. Hamilton served as chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of the 9/11 Commission. They now serve as the chairs of the congressionally mandated Task Force on Extremism in Fragile States, hosted by the United States Institute of Peace:

"As former chairman and vice chairman of the 9/11 Commission, we encourage the Congress to do everything in its power to keep the nation's promise to Afghan and Iraqi combat translators and to ensure these intrepid partners can achieve the American Dream.  Special Immigrant Visas recipients from Afghanistan and Iraq loyally protected our men and women in uniform.  Many directly saved American lives. Their future success will help to prevent the continued growth of Islamist terrorism - the third goal identified by the 9/11 Commission. A great nation keeps its promises."[8]

Vice President Pence said the following when he was a Congressman in 2007: "Protecting and assisting those who have helped the United States and coalition forces is a moral obligation of the American people... I think there is nothing more important than the United States of America saying to people in Iraq, or anywhere in the world, ‘If you stand by us, we will stand by you."[9]

Advisory Board member, and former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan, Ryan Crocker speaking at West Point.

During an ambush in 2008, Janis Shinwari, an Afghan interpreter for U.S. forces in Afghanistan, saved the lives of five U.S. soldiers. After receiving death threats and being targeted by the Taliban for his actions, Shinwari applied to emigrate to the United States through the Special Immigrant Visa program. After a lengthy approval process, during which Shinwari was exposed to potential retribution in Afghanistan, he resettled in the United States. U.S. soldiers raised $35,000 for him through a GoFundMe campaign, but Shinwari, wanting to pay it forward, instead used the funds to found No One Left Behind to help others like him.[1]

Founder Janis Shinwari received his U.S. citizenship in 2020 after saving 5 American soldiers' lives in 2008.

In 2020, No One Left Behind attracted the most bipartisan support for the Afghan SIV program in the House of Representatives since No One Left Behind's founding in 2013. As a result of these efforts, after failing to reauthorize the SIV program in FY2019, Congress authorized 4,000 visas in the FY2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). In 2020, No One Left Behind also served 600 SIVs and their families, providing over $400,000 in direct aid.

As of January 2021, No One Left Behind is led by Janis Shinwari and its Board of Directors, which includes Chairman James Miervaldis, Vice Chairman Keith Saddler, Greyson Buckingham, Philip Caruso, Christopher Karwacki, Alea Nadeem, Mariah Smith, and Loren Voss.