States Pave the Way for Welcome: Executive Action to Support Afghan Arrivals
Governors across the United States have eagerly expressed support for arriving Afghan refugees. Below is an at-a-glance guide for states standing up a unified response to welcome our new Afghan neighbors.
Goals of Unified State Response
To meet this critical moment, your state’s response should:
Ensure appropriate service provision across state and local agencies for newly arrived Afghans. Respond to emerging needs throughout the resettlement process.
Support refugee resettlement agencies, state departments, community-based organizations, and immigrant communities to welcome and serve Afghan arrivals.
Longer-term Needs
As Afghans in your state begin to restart their lives, they will have a variety of longer-term needs, including:
Longer-term housing support and stability.
Ongoing physical and mental health resources.
Employment services, including training opportunities and investments in English language bridge programs.
Legal services for parolees seeking asylum.
Immediate Needs
Afghans arriving in your states will have a variety of immediate needs, including:
Short-term housing and cash assistance options, including the use of hotels and rental assistance.
Immediate support for physical and mental health resources.
Food assistance options for individuals ineligible for other services like SNAP.
Staffing for resettlement agencies to meet the needs of new arrivals.
Streamlined enrollment processes and resolutions for children entering school.
10 Actions for Organizing a Unified Rapid Response
In order to stand up a unified emergency response, your office should consider the following ten actions:
Convene impacted organizations and state departments
Coordinate services across inter-agency partners and community-based organizations
Manage internal efforts among executive branch departments and agencies
Coordinate and streamline communication with representatives from the federal government
Assess short-term housing and cash assistance options
Incorporate Afghan and other resettled refugees in discussions and proposals for longer-term housing support aimed at stability
Propose support for immediate and long term physical and mental health needs
Expand training and workforce opportunities through increased partnerships with workforce centers and other partners
Support resettlement agencies with additional staffing needs to meet the needs of parolees
Support legal services providers with additional resources for parolees seeking asylum
Partner Checklist
In order to create a response that draws on the critical resources and expertise of your state and local communities, ensure involvement from the following partners:
Federal partners
Office of Refugee Resettlement, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, U.S. State Department
Office of Human Services Emergency Preparedness and Response, U.S. State Department
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Department of Homeland Security
Afghan community members and organizations
Governor and governor’s team
Office of New Americans/Immigrant Affairs
Municipal liaisons from impacted municipalities
Philanthropic community
State departments
Human services
Labor and employment
Local/community affairs
Public health
Public safety
Emergency management/security and preparedness
Attorney general
Children and families
Department of motor vehicles
The Refugee Advocacy Lab is available to answer questions and provide support building a unified response. Please email Genevieve@refugeeadvocacy.org.