Peter Welch: “I rise to address the situation facing refugees from Afghanistan who were resettled in Vermont and who, like Afghan…”

“I rise to address the situation facing refugees from Afghanistan who were resettled in Vermont and who, like Afghan refugees in other States, the Trump administration is now threatening to deport. Vermont is home to more than 650 Afghans who risked their lives to support the U.S. mission in Afghanistan. They have been welcomed by our communities. They are growing our workforce and tax base and contributing to our economy. A statewide nonprofit in Vermont, the Vermont Afghan Alliance, which is largely led by Afghans, helps reunite these Afghans with their families and assists other Afghan refugees when they arrive. They are one of several groups in Vermont doing incredible work to resettle Afghans. These individuals risked their lives for our government, and they did everything we asked of them. And now, they have become valued members of our communities. The U.S. withdrawal in 2021 was chaotic, but the Afghans who fled did so because of a very real fear of persecution. No one can question that. Afghans who had worked with the U.S. military and intelligence community were taken to the airport in Kabul to help secure it before being allowed on a plane. They were told to leave their wives and children behind, assured that their families would come later. They feared for their lives. These individuals had been subjected to rigorous vetting at the time of employment with the U.S.…”