Blumenthal Announces Alex Plitsas as Guest for State of the Union

[HARTFORD, CT] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today announced that Alex Plitsas, a U.S. Army veteran who helped evacuate hundreds of Afghans as part of the “Digital Dunkirk” following the U.S. withdrawal of troops, will be his guest at President Joseph R. Biden’s State of the Union Address Tuesday evening.

“Alex is a real hero. Eighteen months after the U.S. withdrawal of troops, the images and stories of men, women and children pleading for help and desperately seeking to escape the Taliban continue to haunt me. Alex courageously stepped up in the days that followed to help many Afghan refugees escape the Taliban. Alex’s remarkable leadership, dedication and determination has provided a path out of Afghanistan for many of the most vulnerable and at-risk of our allies and I am honored to host him as my guest for tomorrow’s State of the Union address,” Blumenthal said.

As Senator Blumenthal’s guest, Plitsas will witness the State of the Union address, as well as accompany Senator Blumenthal to a Senate dinner where he will have the opportunity to share his story and efforts directly with Senators. Plitsas is a Fairfield resident and former chairman of the Fairfield Republican Town Committee.

Since the U.S. withdrawal, Blumenthal has been heavily involved in efforts to help Americans and Afghan allies leave Afghanistan. Working with a coalition of volunteers, veterans, journalists, and advocates, in October 2021 Blumenthal and his office provided critical assistance in helping secure safe passage from Mazar-e Sharif for two planes carrying American citizens, Legal Permanent Residents, interpreters and other vulnerable Afghans, and their families.

Last year, Blumenthal joined a bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers in introducing the Afghan Adjustment Act, which would improve newly arrived Afghan allies’ legal status as they build new lives in the United States. Currently, Afghans who were admitted on temporary humanitarian status can only achieve permanent legal status through the asylum process or the Special Immigrant Visa process, which face severe backlogs and long processing times. The measure includes Blumenthal-authored provisions to improve and expand the Special Immigrant Visa process by broadening SIV eligibility to include groups that worked alongside American forces such as the Afghan National Army Special Operations Command, including the Female Tactical Platoons of Afghanistan and others critical to our twenty-year mission in Afghanistan.

Also last year, Blumenthal joined U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and Ben Cardin (D-MD) in introducing the Honor Our Commitment Act to prioritize evacuation, processing, and resettlement efforts for Americans, Lawful Permanent Residents, and at-risk Afghan allies. He also wrote President Joe Biden calling for a clear, effective strategy to expedite the evacuation of Americans and at-risk Afghan allies who face significant, imminent risk if they remain in Afghanistan.

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