Akhtar worked for nearly a decade as a police officer in the Afghan National Army. He was evacuated to the United States on September 7, 2021, but his wife and 6 children remain in Afghanistan. ILS (Zoila) filed his asylum application in late March, he traveled to Chicago for interview in mid-May, and on October 21, he was granted asylum. Now, after more than a year of separation, he may finally begin the process of bringing his family here to join him.