Tucson readies services for Afghan refugees arriving from military bases

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The U.S. State Department says refugee relocation is temporarily prioritizing Afghan evacuees who will be arriving from U.S. military bases in the coming months.

More than 120,000 Afghans were flown out of Afghanistan earlier this year after US troops withdrew from the country and the Afghan government was overthrown. Tens of thousands are still waiting for military bases. A State Department spokesman said the prioritization was part of Operation Allies Welcome, an initiative by the Department of Homeland Security to relocate vulnerable Afghans and those who helped the US during its two decades-long war in Afghanistan.

Between October 29 and January 11, the relocation program will prioritize moving these families to new homes in the United States, including refugees on special immigrant visas, those with urgent cases or family reunification, and those who already have travel arrangements.

“This temporary prioritization of new bookings will enable relocation agencies and community partners to provide the Afghans who will leave the safe havens of the United States in the coming weeks and months with the necessary services and to accommodate refugees who have already been booked for travel in November and December . ”Said the spokesman in an email.

Tucson City Council member Steve Kozachik says that of about 2,000-3,000 Afghans scheduled to come to Arizona, about 500-600 will be relocated to Tucson.

“So they show up here for things like food stamps and some emergency help with the rent, but they’re all temporary items,” he said.

Kozachik says traditional refugee resettlement comes with a lot of planning, but Afghan families arriving now come quickly and often without the bare minimums like shelter. He works with relocation agencies to find Tucson landlords willing to work with families on permanent housing solutions and donations for food, clothing, and other items.

He says he wants more federal funding to help fill the void in the Tucson communities.

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