play
Show Caption
Hide Caption

Donations flow in for Afghan refugees staying at Fort Dix

Volunteers gather at the Islamic Center of Passaic County sorting and organizing donations for Afghan refugees temporarily staying at Fort Dix.

Amy Newman, NorthJersey.com

New Jersey refugee resettlement agencies are preparing to house more than 500 people who were part of the mass evacuation as the U.S. ended its 20-year-war in Afghanistan, the Biden administration said on Friday. 

The refugees are part of an initial group of 37,000 Afghans to be resettled across 46 states, according to news reports. Refugees are currently being housed at seven military bases around the country, including the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in Burlington County.

Tens of thousands more evacuees were taken to U.S. military bases overseas, where they’re undergoing medical and background checks. President Joe Biden’s administration has said around 64,000 Afghan refugees will be in the U.S. by the end of September, with another estimated 30,000 expected in the following 12 months.

Many of the new evacuees requested to be resettled in certain states because they already have family or friends there, officials said. U.S. officials, in consultation with resettlement agencies, also consider the cost of living, housing availability and support services and resources when determining where refugees will go.

The states that will resettle the largest number of Afghans from the first group are California and Texas with 5,255 and 4,281, respectively. New Jersey will find homes for 535, a White House official told The Record and NorthJersey.com on Friday.

Scramble: With Afghanistan in crisis, NJ volunteer scrambles to raise money to get refugees to safety

How long resettlement will take remains unclear. A Pentagon report last month said as many as 9,500 refugees could be housed at the South Jersey base for a year. 

The evacuees include translators and other staff who worked in support of the U.S. mission in Afghanistan and who were considered at risk of retribution by the Taliban. They undergo screening and security vetting before they come to the U.S., officials have said.

In New Jersey, advocates say they’ve seen an outpouring of support for the new arrivals, many of whom fled with just the clothes on their back. Resettlement agencies and refugee support groups have been collecting donations, finding and furnishing apartments and setting up funds to help families in their new lives. 

‘Counting moments until they die.’: From Afghanistan to NJ, former U.S. allies fear revenge

Advocates say their greatest need is for financial donations and gift cards as they help families settle in a state where housing costs are among the highest in the nation.

Earlier this month, Biden asked Congress to authorize $6.4 billion for Afghan resettlement efforts. The request included $1.6 billion to help states provide refugee support and services to Afghans.

Hannan Adely is a diversity reporter covering Arab and Muslim communities for NorthJersey.com, where she focuses on social issues, politics, bias and civil rights. To get unlimited access to the latest news, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: [email protected] 

Twitter: @adelyreporter 

Source: Asbury Park

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You May Also Like

Karrueche Tran Makes Only Fans Page For Her Feet

Karrueche Tran has joined OnlyFans, but has already had to defend her…

75-Year-Old Artist Who Drew Prophet Muhammad’s Head On A Dog’s Body Mysteriously Dies In Gory Car Accident

A 75-year-old Swedish artist, Lars Vilks who sketched the head of the…

Why Is Nobody Talking About Afghan President Ghani, Who Allegedly Fled With $169 Million, Or His Children’s Ties To George and Alex Soros and Hillary Clinton?

We’ve heard an awful lot about Biden’s disastrous withdrawal of troops from…

James O’Keefe dancing at America Fest…

Posted by Kane on December 20, 2022 1:25 am NEWS JUNKIES —…