| 10.4.21

37K Afghan Evacuees to Be Resettled Around U.S. - How You Can Help

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State Dept. data for the Afghan Placement and Assistance program obtained by the Associated Press and Axios indicates where the first group of nearly 37,000 Afghan evacuees will be residing once they complete their post-evacuation processing.
Evacuees tend to request states where they have family and close friends already residing, and resettlement agencies tend to have a larger presence in those states.
California is the state slated to receive the largest number of Afghans (5,255); followed by Texas (4,481); Oklahoma (1,800); Washington (1,679); and Arizona (1,610). Only the District of Columbia and four states ― Hawaii, South Dakota, West Virginia, and Wyoming ― won’t receive any of the first group of Afghan evacuees.
This group of 37,000 Afghans will likely precede more resettlements of similar groups later this year, as more make their way through processing at U.S. bases around the country and overseas. Flights from those bases in third countries to the U.S. were put on pause from September 13th through at least the 20th due to several measles cases, and processing centers are now administering measles vaccines which should be completed by the end of the weekend.

A national initiative known as Welcome.US was launched this week to help channel the interest and support of the American public and the private sector through collaboration with federal agencies in the resettlement of Afghans.
It seeks to offer information and volunteer opportunities for the community, such as donating time and resources, or by hosting or sponsoring an Afghan family; provide resources for Afghans (including in Dari and Pashto); and answer frequently asked questions about resettlement and vetting processes.
Welcome.US is a non-profit, non-partisan initiative of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA) and includes more than 250 organizations, leaders, and businesses.