2022 Westly Prize winner Respond Crisis Translation was featured in an interview with with Andrew Deck, author of “AI translation is jeopardizing Afghan asylum claims”, and PBS News Hour journalist, Ali Rogan, to discuss the increasingly life-threatening use of AI machine translation by for-profit contractors and aid organizations that work with refugees and migrants seeking asylum in the United States.
Uma, our Afghan Languages Team Lead, and Leila, our Language Democracy Project Lead, were interviewed at PBS Newshour, to discuss the grave dangers of AI machine translation when used in Afghan asylum claims. Please take a moment and watch this important interview here:
This coverage of the importance of human translation in support of Afghan asylum seekers comes at a crucial time. The Biden administration announced that it will establish a process to re-parole eligible Afghan nationals so they can continue living and working legally in the United States. Given that only 0.3% of humanitarian parole applications from Afghans were approved by the end of 2022, the accuracy of the materials Afghans will need to submit is now more important than ever if they are to even stand a chance in this inhumane process.
Your support for Respond over the past few years has helped us continue to do advocacy like this, and we are so glad to be in continued partnership with you. Stay tuned for more publications coming soon!
