Six Afghan girls hoping to participate in a Washington, DC, robotics competition will be allowed into the US — after initially being denied.

The Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday it approved a request by the State Department to let the teens in. The move comes after public backlash to reports that the girls were denied visas.

“We could not be prouder of this delegation of young women who are also scientists,” deputy national security adviser for strategy Dina Powell told Politico.

“They represent the best of the Afghan people.”