Counties lend a hand to Afghan refugees

Key Takeaways

President Biden’s Aug. 31 deadline for the withdrawal of American personnel in Afghanistan is bringing thousands of Afghan refugees to the United States. 

The United States relocated 124,000 people from Afghanistan to safety including 6,000 U.S. citizens, according to a release from the Department of State. 

County officials across the country are working with county departments to prepare for the return of American personnel and welcome refugees who will be entering the country.

Commissioners in Union County, N.J. held drop-off donation drives at various locations to collect items for Afghan interpreters, their families and other refugees evacuated from Afghanistan.  

Supplies collected included clothing, school items and baby formula. Donation locations stayed open throughout September. 

County Board Chairman Alexander Mirabella said once commissioners heard families were coming to the county, they wanted to help by collecting a few items. 

“People sometimes forget in this country that we’re all immigrants and we all are escaping one thing or another to come to a better life,” he said. “We need to do something to help these people.”

He said around 20 Afghan refugees have come to the county as of Sept. 10. 

Mirabella said counties are closer to local communities and can be advocates for those resettling.

“I think that part of it is raising the awareness of the importance of helping Afghan refugees, but it is also dealing with and helping as best we can the people that present themselves in Union County,” he said. 

Los Angeles County, Calif. Supervisor Hilda Solis introduced a motion unanimously supported by the board to assist returning American personnel and new arrivals from Afghanistan. 

Solis called for coordination among the Department of Military and Veteran Affairs, the Department of Mental Health and other county and state departments to coordinate available resources for Afghans and military personnel entering the county. 

Solis said there were around 75 Afghan nationals as of Sept. 10 who arrived in Los Angeles County. 

“I have always felt that no matter what, we should be welcoming to refugees and immigrants,” she said. 

Solis, a daughter of immigrants herself, said the county can always provide support to refugees, referring to Los Angeles County’s previous work with the state Department of Health and Human Services to house unaccompanied minors found at the border. 

Solis said she has been championing immigrants and understands the support and tools needed for immigrants to navigate the essential services counties can provide. 

The county’s efforts also focus on helping American personnel who are coming back to the country, she said, and the county is providing them with services such as counseling, housing and fulfilling medical needs through county agencies. 

The county will also assist with the identification and coordination of services with other county departments, she said. These efforts will come out of the Office of Immigrant Affairs, where staff can speak different languages and coordinate with public health, social services and the Office of Education to provide services for Afghan nationals arriving to the county. 

“Our effort here is really just to coordinate with our county departments and some of our philanthropic groups as well and help provide assistance in creative ways to these families and help provide that welcome for them,” she said. 

Commissioners in Franklin County, Ohio also reaffirmed the county’s commitment to ensuring it is a welcoming and inclusive community for Afghan refugees. 

“We wanted to make sure that we let our community and other communities know that we are very supportive of the refugees from Afghanistan, especially those who have been so supportive of the American effort and the American troop effort over the last 20 years in Afghanistan,” Commissioner John O’Grady said. 

Franklin County is an international community, with over 100 languages spoken and representation from many nations, he said. 

O’Grady said large urban counties are uniquely positioned to deal with refugees arriving from other countries by providing social service organizations and safety net organizations. 

“There have been many folks that have been doing all they could to support our efforts there [in Afghanistan] and we want them to know and understand that Franklin County is welcoming to them,” he said, “and supports them in their time of need just as they’ve supported us in our time of need.”