Amid the Biden Administration’s botched withdrawal from Afghanistan which led to a swift takeover by the Taliban, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says it is Michigan’s “duty and honor” to welcome Afghan refugees with open arms.
In a lengthy statement, Whitmer announced that the state will be resettling refugees in the near future.
The full statement says:
“Michigan’s greatest strength is and always has been our people. We have a rich history of multiculturalism from the Dutch who settled in the West, to the Finns who mined the North, to the Middle Easterners who made Dearborn a flourishing center for Arab culture, and countless others who make us who we are. People from around the world have come to Michigan over centuries for good-paying jobs, a high-quality education for their kids, and the right to live and worship freely.
Now, as Afghan families flee violence and political persecution, it is our duty and honor to welcome them with that fundamental Michigan spirit of friendliness. The State of Michigan embraces the opportunity to welcome Afghan families as they find a new home to begin their lives. As the situation in Afghanistan continues to unfold and we wait to hear further details from the U.S. State Department, the State of Michigan’s departments and agencies are gearing up to ensure Afghans who may come to our state have the support they need to succeed. A network of departments across the state are at the ready to help ensure those who arrive in Michigan can get their feet on the ground.”
The withdrawal from American troops before the evacuation of American citizens and Afghan allies from the war-torn Middle Eastern nation has earned the Biden Administration criticism, even from typically-friendly media outlets.
NBC News described the situation as a “logistical nightmare,” as tens of thousands of Afghans, and possibly more than 10,000 Americans, try to escape the country despite the Taliban seizing control of the airport in Kabul.
It is unclear exactly how many Afghan refugees will be resettled in Michigan and the United States as a whole.
Canada has vowed to accept 20,000.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a contributor at The Michigan Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Afghanistan refugees” by Hashoo Foundation USA CC BY-SA 2.0.
