Major Joshua Mast

So we had had another American attorney, Kim Motley, who is, by the way, an American hero. I'll get into her a little bit later with what she did in the fall of Afghanistan, but she literally saved hundreds of lives. Like, she should be getting the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to be honest with you.

So we had had another American attorney, Kim Motley, who is, by the way, an American hero. I'll get into her a little bit later with what she did in the fall of Afghanistan, but she literally saved hundreds of lives. Like, she should be getting the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to be honest with you.

But Kim Motley had volunteered, based on her experience in the Afghan legal system, to act as a guardian ad litem, which is, for folks who don't know, that's a court-appointed representative to look at the child's best interests and no one else's.

But Kim Motley had volunteered, based on her experience in the Afghan legal system, to act as a guardian ad litem, which is, for folks who don't know, that's a court-appointed representative to look at the child's best interests and no one else's.

But Kim Motley had volunteered, based on her experience in the Afghan legal system, to act as a guardian ad litem, which is, for folks who don't know, that's a court-appointed representative to look at the child's best interests and no one else's.

Now, they don't have that same concept in Afghanistan, so it was like a voluntary, like self-appointed, but our office was working with her to get a safe outcome. She had tried to get documents for her. Asked the Afghan government, no response, right? Nobody wants to take on the risk. They view it as a foreign child, and like it's kind of terrorism-y, so they don't want to touch it.

Now, they don't have that same concept in Afghanistan, so it was like a voluntary, like self-appointed, but our office was working with her to get a safe outcome. She had tried to get documents for her. Asked the Afghan government, no response, right? Nobody wants to take on the risk. They view it as a foreign child, and like it's kind of terrorism-y, so they don't want to touch it.

Now, they don't have that same concept in Afghanistan, so it was like a voluntary, like self-appointed, but our office was working with her to get a safe outcome. She had tried to get documents for her. Asked the Afghan government, no response, right? Nobody wants to take on the risk. They view it as a foreign child, and like it's kind of terrorism-y, so they don't want to touch it.

So we're like, how else do we get a name? And then in addition to that is how do I arrange for medical care for a minor child in the United States? I don't have any authority to act for her. The government doesn't. Who can authorize surgery on a child? Who can authorize an MRI? And so, like, I'm going through, like, my wheelhouse, right?

So we're like, how else do we get a name? And then in addition to that is how do I arrange for medical care for a minor child in the United States? I don't have any authority to act for her. The government doesn't. Who can authorize surgery on a child? Who can authorize an MRI? And so, like, I'm going through, like, my wheelhouse, right?

So we're like, how else do we get a name? And then in addition to that is how do I arrange for medical care for a minor child in the United States? I don't have any authority to act for her. The government doesn't. Who can authorize surgery on a child? Who can authorize an MRI? And so, like, I'm going through, like, my wheelhouse, right?

Like, I don't know the answer, but I'm a lawyer, and I'm going to research it and find out. And so it has to be a guardian. She has to have a name. Well, a court can appoint a name, right? There aren't any courts in this area of Afghanistan that's controlled by the Taliban for most of the war, right? I mean, if you go up there, you're going to get a gunfight. So—

Like, I don't know the answer, but I'm a lawyer, and I'm going to research it and find out. And so it has to be a guardian. She has to have a name. Well, a court can appoint a name, right? There aren't any courts in this area of Afghanistan that's controlled by the Taliban for most of the war, right? I mean, if you go up there, you're going to get a gunfight. So—

Like, I don't know the answer, but I'm a lawyer, and I'm going to research it and find out. And so it has to be a guardian. She has to have a name. Well, a court can appoint a name, right? There aren't any courts in this area of Afghanistan that's controlled by the Taliban for most of the war, right? I mean, if you go up there, you're going to get a gunfight. So—

with the operational realities on the ground, we're like, okay, well, let's see if we can get emergency legal custody. And she's not Afghan. We have high-strength intelligence that she's not Afghan. This group is kind of nomadic Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Western China. Like, they're from that region, right? A lot of them have been fighting in Syria and Iraq.

with the operational realities on the ground, we're like, okay, well, let's see if we can get emergency legal custody. And she's not Afghan. We have high-strength intelligence that she's not Afghan. This group is kind of nomadic Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Western China. Like, they're from that region, right? A lot of them have been fighting in Syria and Iraq.

with the operational realities on the ground, we're like, okay, well, let's see if we can get emergency legal custody. And she's not Afghan. We have high-strength intelligence that she's not Afghan. This group is kind of nomadic Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Western China. Like, they're from that region, right? A lot of them have been fighting in Syria and Iraq.

We don't know exactly where she was born. Maybe in Afghanistan, maybe in Pakistan, or maybe in Turkmenistan before they crossed the border. We don't know. So the best argument was she's known for it. Afghanistan doesn't have birthright citizenship. Most countries don't. So you're not automatically a citizen.

We don't know exactly where she was born. Maybe in Afghanistan, maybe in Pakistan, or maybe in Turkmenistan before they crossed the border. We don't know. So the best argument was she's known for it. Afghanistan doesn't have birthright citizenship. Most countries don't. So you're not automatically a citizen.

We don't know exactly where she was born. Maybe in Afghanistan, maybe in Pakistan, or maybe in Turkmenistan before they crossed the border. We don't know. So the best argument was she's known for it. Afghanistan doesn't have birthright citizenship. Most countries don't. So you're not automatically a citizen.