Seattle Afghan woman works to coordinate refugee movement in Washington
Many people fleeing Afghanistan will seek refuge in the US The US government is preparing for around 22,000 refugees who could arrive in the coming weeks.
SEATTLE – Nonprofits across Washington are already working to host Afghan refugees fleeing the Taliban regime. One woman we call “Ameri” fears that the greatest hope for her Afghan people now lies outside her homeland.
“Right now I have no hope in my heart,” said Ameri.
The threat from the Taliban is still very real even for refugees who have already made it to the United States, said Ameri, who came to the States as a refugee four years ago.
Today Ameri is a full-time student and although she once planned to return to Afghanistan with a degree, she believes it is no longer possible.
“My mission is to support my people who come here,” she continued.
Ameri volunteers for the Refugee Women’s Alliance, a Seattle-based nonprofit, and said that since the Afghan government fell to the Taliban, it has been inundated with calls and emails from people in their home country trying to to come out.
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She said her heart breaks especially for women.
“They were so happy because of their freedom. And they only got that freedom for a few years. But within a week all freedom is gone. Nobody is out there. The streets are empty, women are so scared, ”she said.
Many people fleeing Afghanistan will seek refuge in the US The US government is preparing for around 22,000 refugees who could arrive in the coming weeks.
“All of this is very personal for me. This is a war that I fought and waged. I know the country. I know the people and I know those who fought by my side, “said Lloyd J. Austin, Secretary of Defense.” We have a moral obligation to help those who have helped us. And I feel the urgency deeply. “
It is an urgency fueled by the chaos as the Afghan government quickly disbanded and paved the way for Taliban fighters.
“Nobody expected that they could take Afghanistan so much earlier, it was a big surprise for us. Nobody was prepared, ”said Ameri.
The US immigration system was also unprepared and will continue to reach its limits as the number of refugees is only expected to increase.
According to the DSHS Office for Refugee and Immigration Assistance, 150 people received special immigrant visas in the first two weeks of August and are already safely on site in Washington State.