A New Haven man is worried about the rest of his family in Afghanistan who are scared for their life.

When Hewad Hemat worked with the U.S. Military, he helped journalists and supervised a project that educated women and hired religious scholars.

Hemat tells News 12 that when the Taliban found out about his work, they texted him threatening to kill him.

He hid for two years while continuing to work.

After a two-year special immigration visa process and with the help of the Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services (IRIS), Hemat and his family came to the United States in 2014.

Hemat says he has been able to talk to his family a little in Afghanistan and warns people to stay in their homes and keep their electronics charged.

He is urging the government to help Afghans amid the developing situation there.

The executive director of IRIS says they are ready to help Afghan families start new lives and settle in Connecticut.

Over the past five years, the nonprofit has settled 500 refugees through the special immigrant visa program.

For more information on IRIS, click here.