For the first time under a new volunteer initiative, San Diego veterans were at an immigration court Wednesday to support an Afghan refugee — a former journalist who fled the Taliban.

The program, called Battle Buddies, was launched by two nonprofits: Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America and #AfghanEvac. It comes just after a former Afghan interpreter was arrested by immigration agents following a hearing in June.

Shawn VanDiver is the co-founder and president of San Diego-based #AfghanEvac.

"All this is, is veterans showing up — clearly marked as veterans — standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our wartime allies as they face their day in court as they fight for their lives and our country," VanDiver said Wednesday outside the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building in downtown San Diego.

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