Issa: Hundreds of Americans Held Hostage in Afghanistan

Statement

WASHINGTON DC - Congressman Issa issued the following statement addressing the ongoing hostage crisis in Afghanistan:

"Reports that Americans are boarding flights from Afghanistan today is welcome news, but also a stark reminder that President Biden brought tens of thousands of Afghans to America that we don't know and stranded hundreds of citizens he promised to bring home. This continuing failure is on the shoulders of President Biden alone, and his passive bystander posture in the aftermath of a hostage crisis he created is a scandal.

"It is outrageous for the Secretary of State and White House officials to mislead the nation and intentionally downplay the significant numbers of Americans this Administration left behind in Afghanistan. Our continuing casework confirms that several hundred citizens are still on the ground there and want to come home.

"Enough double-talk from the White House. Enough guesswork from its press secretary. The Congress shouldn't wait one more day for this Administration to inform the nation how many Americans it knows are in Afghanistan and the immediate plan to return them safely to their country."

Source