Afghan refugees to be relocated to Fort McCoy
Wisconsin lawmakers are confident Fort McCoy will be successful
WASHINGTON, D.C. (CNN) — Pentagon press secretary John Kirby confirms to CNN that the Department of Defense will potentially relocate up to 30,000 Afghan SIV applicants into the US.
Kirby says that Fort Bliss in Texas and Fort McCoy in Wisconsin have the capability to house these applicants.
Federal official Garry Reid reiterated the plan Monday to send Afghan refugees to our area. Watch it here:
On Sunday, CNN reported the Biden administration has curtailed the number of government-sponsored evacuation flights to the United States for Afghans who worked alongside the US as it prioritizes the evacuation of American personnel from the country, three sources familiar with the situation told CNN Sunday.
It is unclear how long the pause in flights will last and the situation remains fluid. As of last week, refugee resettlement agencies were preparing for a large influx of Afghan arrivals, two of the sources said, and Biden administration officials were discussing an uptick in SIV flights.
On Sunday, a joint statement from the Departments of Defense and State reiterated that the administration would “accelerate the evacuation of thousands of Afghans eligible for U.S. Special Immigrant Visas.”
U.S. Representative Ron Kind,(D) Wisconsin, released this statement to News 8 Now: “Today, I’m thinking of all those who served in Afghanistan in our armed forces and as civilians. We’re forever grateful for their dedication and patriotism. At this time I’m also deeply concerned for the safety of our Afghan partners, who served alongside our troops and put their lives on the line to support our mission. We cannot abandon them now – every effort must be made to ensure their safety. As we wait for further details regarding this ongoing situation, I have full confidence in our outstanding service members at Fort McCoy and stand ready to work with local, state, and federal leaders to assist however possible.”
Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson, (R) Wisconsin, tweeted: “In the midst of the disastrous abandonment of our allies in Afghanistan I am glad that some will be able to reach safety in the U.S.
I’m confident the military personnel at Fort McCoy will fulfill their role with dedication and professionalism.”
OTHER WISCONSIN AGENCIES STEP UP TO HELP:
Madison is also preparing to take in some of the Afghan refugees. Jewish Social Services is preparing to provide fully furnished apartments, access to healthcare and more. They usually have a few weeks to a few months notice. In this case, they have a few days– if that. The executive director says for now they’re making temporary plans. “Any new refugees who are arriving now and this quickly are going to have to go to extended stay hotels until we can find them appropriate housing,” says Dawn Berney. Jewish Social Services expects to help 26 Afghan refugees by the end of next month.
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