Appleton District 6

Greetings District 6 Neighbors, I spent the very cold weekend thinking about what I might say about what is unfolding in our neighboring states. I hold a non-partisan office, and I have often responded to people questioning me about my personal view on a controversial national issue by saying that my opinion is irrelevant as the City of Appleton would never have any jurisdiction on said issue. I follow the news and of course I am affected by events. I attended an event on Thursday evening where we heard from a woman from Afghanistan who came to the Fox Valley in 2022 after the Taliban regained power in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal. Every one of the up to 250 people who settled in the area is here legally, most under special immigrant visas (SIV) that allow people who worked with the United States government in Afghanistan for at least a year between 2001 and 2023 to receive lawful permanent residence (a green card). The vetting process for these visas is intense, sometimes taking as...