First Afghan Refugees Arrive At Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst

JOINT BASE McGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, NJ — The first group of Afghan refugees arrived at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst overnight, federal officials announced Wednesday, as U.S. efforts to evacuate Afghans continue in Afghanistan.

Those who arrived at the joint base are among the more than 58,000 people the United States has evacuated from Kabul since Aug. 14, Al-Jazeera reported. The joint base is one of four military bases in the United States that are providing temporary shelter to Afghans as part of Operation Allies Refuge, according to the Defense Department.

Afghan refugees also are being housed at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, Fort Bliss, Texas, and Fort Lee, Virginia, the Defense Department said.

“Overnight, Task Force McGuire-Dix welcomed the first group of at-risk Afghans to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst,” the joint base said in a news release. “We expect these arrivals to continue throughout today, and the coming days.”

"Thank you to everyone in and around our community for your continued support as we care for these individuals and families," base officials said on their Facebook page. "We will release specific details on our page soon on donation operations!"

The Joint Base did not say how many people arrived; federal officials did not have estimates of how many people had arrived or the capacity of the temporary housing at the base.

“Due to the complicated nature of these relocations and to protect the privacy and security of the arriving individuals, we are not able to provide further specifics on arrival times/carriers, housing locations, or onward destinations,” a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department said.

People arriving from Afghanistan at Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C., are being screened by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents, and everyone is being tested for COVID-19 at the airport, the spokesperson said.

After they are tested, American citizens and legal permanent residents are allowed to go home.

Afghan citizens are being taken to the military bases, where they are undergoing administrative processing and a full medical screening, the spokesperson said. They also will receive assistance with work authorizations.

Afghans granted special immigrant status by the Department of Homeland Security, and their families, will receive resettlement benefits through the State Department’s refugee program. Others will be provided initial relocation assistance through resettlement agencies, the spokesperson said.

The State Department’s goal “is to resettle these individuals as quickly as possible,” the spokesperson said.

“The outpouring of care from Americans seeking to help, especially from the Afghan American community, is incredible,” the spokesperson said. “Local resettlement agencies, and other non-governmental organizations working with refugees and immigrants, will be best placed to harness this goodwill as people make it through their initial processing and begin their new lives in America.”

People who want to help resettled Afghans with special immigrant visas and refugees are urged to reach out to the local refugee resettlement agency to donate, volunteer or even form community sponsorship teams, the spokesperson said.

“It is the millions of people in local communities across the United States who ensure the success of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program by welcoming and helping integrate refugees from around the world,” the spokesperson said. “There are many opportunities to be involved in welcoming SIVs and refugees and helping them to rebuild their lives in the U.S.”

Resettlement agencies and affiliate contacts can be found here.

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