"He's probably more American than some Americans that was born here" is the perfect assessment in this story. He deserves to be granted citizenship.

Update: Just this week 7/17/23, this guy was granted asylum and will be allowed to stay as a permanent resident. Happy ending after all.

Afghan interpreters saved an unbelievable amount of American soldier's lives, they played such an incredible role in our time over there. If anyone deserves asylum and citizenship, it's them.

The interpreters I had experience with in Afghanistan were true saviors and had a ton of combat experience with SOF. One night, prior to boarding a helicopter bound to a hostile area, our interpreter looked at me and said “two-hundred-nineteen.” I asked what he meant. “This is my 219th combat mission.”

It's because of people like Zee that my team and I are alive and back home with our loved ones.

“He’s probably more American than most people born here”. Agree.

I'm an Army veteran, served in Afghanistan. The pull out was disgraceful and heartbreaking. there are so many of our brothers who are probably dead now bc we failed to protect them as we promised. he is one of the lucky ones

We as Americans should be doing so much more for these people. They are not just incredible assets to our country's prosperity, but they are simply our fellow human beings who deserve rights and a happy life.

“He’s probably more of an American than some people that are born here” @ 1:40 Well sir, I agree with you! Thanks for your service Zee.

The people who helped Zee not only represent the best of this country but best virtue of being a good person.

"He is probably more of an American than most people that were born here"...

Thank you to the people of Iowa Falls for supporting this young man.

I am an Afghan currently living in Rochester, MN. I lived in Decorah, Iowa for 4 years, studying at Luther College. I loved my time in Iowa, some of the most hospitable people in the US. I feel for you, brother Zee. I hope we all get reunited with our families and Afghan people get well-deserved peace, dignity, and liberty from the tyrannical regime of the Taliban.

Wishing Zee all the best that his application for asylum is approved and his family gets out safely to see him once again. Iowa Falls, you show America at her best.

I'm an Iowan Muslim, born and raised in the city of Clinton. I was one of the only brown Muslims I knew in my town, and sometimes growing up I felt so alone. It's so heartwarming to see Zalmay so welcomed, and so at home in the place I call home too

Having served overseas in multiple conflict zones, men like Zee are the reason that we were able to sustain our wars as long as we did. Our interpreters often risked their own lives to help protect us. For example, when we were billeted with an untrustworthy Iraqi Army unit, our interpreter slept in their quarters so that he could warn us if he heard subversive talk. His warning was critical in making us ready when that IA unit staged a small mutiny and threatened to shoot us and desert. Because of his warning, we were able to have helicopter gunships already on standby and the mutineers stood down when an Apache hovered low on the compound, and when they realized that we were bunkered in the main house and ready to fight. I know many other troops from Iraq and Afghanistan have similar stories where interpreters saved the lives of American troops. Do not let politicians on either side brand these people as 'terrorists' or label them as 'helpless refugees'. Either is a disservice to them and a disgrace to our country. These are proud men that I am honored to have served alongside. They are more self-sufficient and brave than many native-born US citizens. They and their families deserve to be treated with the respect that they deserve. Those that we were able to evacuate from Afghanistan are as much heroes as our own troops that served there. In many ways, they are more so. While US troops rotated in and out of the warzones, our interpreters and allies were living there, risking and losing their family members to help us in our mission. I couldn't ask for a higher level of sacrifice and devotion to duty. These people should not be viewed as refugees or allies, they should be viewed as American heroes.

The US Government- let's do the right thing. Grant this fine-gentleman, citizenship. He's done more for America, than most Americans. 🗽🙏

I pray that Zee is able to stay in Iowa Falls forever, and that somehow he can get his family over here.

As a veteran, Im proud to call this guy my brother.

If this man had even a tiny part in just one American soldier making it back home alive then he has more than earned the right to become an American citizen. From the sound of it he did much more than that so for our current government leaders to even think about not letting him stay is a disgrace. For all of the American families whose loved ones you helped make it back home i thank you Zee and i pray that your family is safe wherever they are. For those of you in Iowa that are standing up for this man you all give me just another reason to be proud to be an American. You are the kind of people all Americans should strive to be.

Zee, As your Afghan sister in TN, I pray the best for you. Seeing your story brings tears to my eyes & pride in my heart. God bless!

"He is more an American than some people who are born here!" Nailed it.

I know Zee. He comes into the shops I've worked in a lot. He's a really quiet, nice, kind man.

From Austin Minnesota; welcome home brother ❤️with love

We need more communities like that.

Bravo to all those good people helping him

I just hope he knows and understands that the American people are not the same as the American bureaucratic government.

Only America could view a 9 year old being forced under gunpoint to hand over a piece of bread as aiding terrorism...

To all the Afghans that fought side by side with our soldiers, and find themselves on our shores, welcome to America. Make yourselves at home sisters and brothers. And thank you! Oh and to all the folks in Iowa falls, thank you for restoring my faith in our country. You are the best of America!

"I just didn't want anymore pain" - Zee Boy if that hit home.

Person who "suggested" giving bread is terrorism needs to be fired asap. The fact that they have that job is an utter embarrassment for this country

Who are these people employed to pick who stays and who doesn't??The mind boggles that at 9 years old he is collaborating with the enemy!! Such ignorance to find any excuse to deny this man. A disgrace!

Our Iraqi translator lives in California now. His dad was beheaded during my first tour. I believe his mother got out with him. Well deserved.

Sometimes we need these stories at a human level to put understanding and perspective on things.

Salute… thank you for your service🙏

This really made my day. Even with all the turmoil going on stateside and abroad, there’s good people out there still doing good in their communities. God bless those who rallied around Zee and most of all God bless you Zee.

I cried when I watched this earlier. So proud of our fellow Americans in Iowa City for fighting the good fight. And Zee - you are home. You are an American hero. Thank you for your service. ❤️🇺🇲 I pray you see this someday and I pray for your family.🙏

What a great guy and a great community!!

Thank you for being so kind to this young man 🥰 he deserves the world

Thank you for your service

What a prime example of what a true American is, how this country was made, perseverance, strong morals, ethics. Shame on our so called government for trying to send this man to his death!!

I hope officials understand that the Taliban often forced or coerced Afghans to support them. Zee's work with US forces should be given more consideration and I am so grateful the people of Iowa Falls are supporting him.

HOLY COW GO IOWA!! Floyd County was my stomping grounds as a kid! Something to be said for those practical, patriotic, and sensible Iowans and Midwesterners to be sure. Wonderful story and so proud that fellow countrymen brought Mr. Niazy to his new home nation; welcome sir, and glad to have you! For ALL of those who helped our soldiers down range, we, as a nation should (and thankfully have been by and large) be embracing this people as our own.

Thank you, Zee!

Way to go Iowa !!! KINDNESS 👍👍❤️

It's sad and sick what this guy has had to go through just to get a return on the invaluable assistance he's given this country for years! I say bless this man and all those like him. 🇺🇸

Aiding an enemy? Yet we sold out the Afghanis when we sat down with the Taliban in Doha and agreed to give them control of Afghanistan. Our moral compass is so fuc***.

Thank you for your service, Z 🙏🏻

As much as the town loves him, I can hear the sadness in his voice. His family and everything he’s known is still in Afghanistan. I hope he can bring his family over one day.

This is what America is about. Thank you, Z, for all you've done & for your Service. God Bless this little Community 🙏

What an inspirational story! Thank you for your service & i hope you & family continues to live & prosper here!

Awesome watch, glad I clicked on it. I hope everything works out for Zee, his family and those great people of that town.

Zee deserves to be free and safe (so does his family). Putting all my hope in him gaining asylum. And thank you Iowa Falls for loving him so well.

The story is beautiful. This is a man of great character. HOWEVER, as usual, the media puts out too much information. They just gave Zee's name, his town and state, they showed his business vehicle with his phone number, etc. I think a little forethought and discretion would go a very long way. Don't just give the story; protect the ones the story is about.

This is such a heart-wrenching, as well as a heartwarming story about what the love & compassion of the Iowas Falls community was able to accomplish for such a most deserving young man...God bless them all...😇

He's is such an inspiration and and patriot!!! Thank you for your service!

When you get information like this, that people like this are still around, it just overwhelms your heart

This is the story all Americans need to learn from. This statement right here did it for me @1:40.

This is insane he almost has the same story as my dad, except part of my dad's contract as a contract was to leave Iraq as he already planned to leave. But my father also became a handy man, except we are down in SoCal so it is not a small town where everyone knows his name. He works a maintenance manager job factory and does handy man work on the side. He risked it all and put his neck on the line, on top of that breaking his back everyday when he got to the states just so that me and brother can have the opportunity of an American.

Thank you so much for your service. I wish you nothing but happiness for the rest of your life.

All the division in America is just awful.....but this gives me hope. What a great thing the people of Iowa Falls are doing.

Gods I hope they can get his family to him! I hope we grant him the citizenship that he deserves! He has risked and done so much for us… so, so much for us. It’s utterly ludicrous we can’t even do ONE simple thing for him.

Thanks for your service, Sir. I pray that your folks back home are ok.

BEAUTIFUL.. KINDNESS

"He's more American then most"... I couldn't agree more. He fought with us and he earned it.

This is what America and being a American is all about.

Thank you for your service! May you Rest In Peace! Prayers from Iowa!

thank you for your service thank you for what you have done for so many!

Love these Iowa people. Need more stories like this. Especially with the bad image US has now with regards to xenophobia. God bless these Iowa people.

US needs to bring his family here. It’s time to do this guy right.

Z is a beautiful person! He is just radiating kindness! Thanks for helping us, I think you'll see that there are lots and lots of people who are happy you're here! 💕

Great man, great story. Hope for the best

Extraordinary Iowa Falls! What kind and loving people. Generous of spirit and big hearted!

So refreshing to watch a story like this.

1:39 I don’t ever say this, but what this couple said makes me proud to be an American for once

God bless the community , amazing video. Praying for you brother..

I'm Iowa born & raised & have taught classes at the Ellsworth College in Iowa Falls in the past. The community is an awesome one & so satisfied to see their support for this young man who has risked his life so many times in the name of freedom. Give this deserving young man the freedom he so deserves. You rock Zee & Iowa Falls!

"I will stand foe what's right." God Bless him.

That's a really heartwarming story

Awesome to see people from my State helping out like this. Any update?

So lovely and fulfilling to see xenophobia evaporating in unexpected places.

Would love to know who is the persons responsible for accusing him as aiding and abetting an enemy for giving bread - to someone. This is important , if we have people think like robots without critical thinking holding these positions - why and how they get there .

We need more stories like this!

He is the type of person that we need in this country. Thank you for your service to our country.

Great to find kind people in such an unkind crazy world!

CBS Sunday Morning - thank you for uploading these free videos on KZfaq. In my country we dont have any access to the TV channel.

All the best, Zee! I hope you can move your family to safety as well, your town continues to support you. And lastly, but most of all. I'm so sorry about your homeland. One day soon I hope more than anything you can see it restored.

Thank you Z. You’re a true hero.

Deportation over bread!? Ridiculous!!

Only our country would see the (harmless) gesture a child was forced to make as an act of aiding and abetting terror. Man nearly lost body parts and did lose an uncle in service to our country but we deny him the bare minimum of asylum. I feel for him right now. His words of "everyone who wants to make it better is leaving" is some bitter truth.

My thoughts and prayers for Zee and his family and friends safety

This made my heart warm.

Heartwarming! God bless Zee and the town of Iowa Falls.

Won’t we be lucky if Zee chooses to stay in America and becomes a citizen of America ! God bless him and his family.

What a wonderful story.

Bless this man and his family you are loved

We're rooting for you and your family, Zee.

I have met the kindest folks in America

I live in the US and I don’t know anyone who would go to bat for me like this. He must be an outstanding person of character. Giving someone bread so you don’t die isn’t a traitor act. That’s horrifying anyone would think so. I know of more Americans who are traitors.

Love stories like these