Families plead for American hostages’ freedom

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Family members of Americans detained abroad were on Capitol Hill Tuesday calling on lawmakers to do more to help bring their loved ones home. The families are calling on lawmakers to take action.

Austin Tice’s mother, Debra Tice, spoke before the House Foreign Affairs Committee Tuesday.

“I have been begging my government,” Debra said.

Syria has held Austin hostage since 2012.

“Austin’s freedom relies on engagement with the Syrian government,” Tice said.

Seven families delivered lawmakers a unified message: bring our loved ones home.

The Taliban took Anna Corbett’s husband Ryan hostage in 2022. She’s concerned about his health.

“They need to do the right thing and let him go before it’s too late,” Anna Corbett said.

Some lawmakers say they are concerned that hostile countries are taking Americans hostage to force a prisoner exchange.

“If we need trades, I think the trade should be a fair trade,” Rep. Michael McCaul, (R-Texas.) said.

Texas Republican Congressman Michael McCaul praised the Biden administration for the effort to bring Americans home, but called some of the recent prisoner swaps concerning.

“We should not be celebrities to get equal rights over here,” Gazelle Sharmahd, Jimmy Sharmahd’s daughter, said.

Iran kidnapped Gazelle Sharmahd’s father in 2020.

“We should not have a celebrity like Brittney Griner being brought out while Paul Whelan is left behind,” Sharmahd said.

Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) says Congress will not stop until hostages are home.

“It’s unimaginable to me the pain that you go through every day,” Meeks said.

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