Posted on 09/01/2021 9:58:30 AM PDT by Capt. Tom
Groups say first of them could arrive today Matt Murphy State House News Service
With the United States’ military evacuation of Afghanistan complete and some immigrant advocacy groups calling on the state to make money available to support refugees, Gov. Charlie Baker said Monday he has spoken to the federal government about being “as helpful as we can be, when we need to be.”
Baker also offered his condolences to the family of Marine Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo, one of the U.S. military members killed in last week’s attack on the airport in Kabul.
Rosario, 25, was among the 13 service members and 169 Afghans killed when a suicide bomber detonated explosives outside Hamid Karzai International Airport where the United States had been evacuating citizens and allies as the 20year war comes to an end.
Rosario was a native of Lawrence and served with with the Naval Amphibious Force, Task Force 51/5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, according to the Associated Press. Since her identity was confirmed over the weekend, condolences from state leaders have been pouring in.
“There’s no question that these people were selfless, there’s no question that they were heroes, and there’s no question that they and their fellow servicemen and women are among the very best of what this country has to offer and we should always honor, always respect and never forget the loss that they’ve incurred as a result of their service,” Baker said.
Baker said her death had to be particularly painful for Rosario’s family knowing how close she was to leaving Afghanistan.
“I can’t imagine what it must be like to be a family member of somebody who was on the ground at the so-called end of this process when you think and start to believe that your family member is going to be coming home any minute now at the end of this ordeal and to have them lost to a suicide bomber,” Baker said Monday, at a press conference from a school in Everett.
Baker’s comments came hours before the last U.S. military flight full of supplies and remaining service members departed Kabul ahead of the Aug. 31 deadline for the evacuation from Afghanistan to be completed. With the Taliban now in control of the country, the United States and international allies had been scrambling to quickly evacuate, military and civilian personnel from the country, including Afghan nationals who helped support the U.S. military mission there for two decades.
Baker has previously stated that Massachusetts would welcome refugees from Afghanistan, and he said Monday his administration has had initial conversations with the federal government.
“They’re currently going through their own process. Everybody who comes into this country has to go through a federal review of one type or another, but we and a number of the organizations that have historically been in this line of work have made clear to them that we stand ready to help them when asked,” Baker said.
Some groups, including the International Institute of New England and Ascentria Care Alliance, said late last week that hundreds of Afghan evacuees could begin arriving in Massachusetts at soon as today, and it could take months before they are able to obtain work permits.
The nonprofits said Baker and the Legislature should make federal American Rescue Plan Act funds or money from the state’s fiscal 2021 surplus, which has yet to be allocated, available to provide services to those Afghans seeking to relocate in Massachusetts.
“Individuals arriving in Massachusetts, especially those arriving quickly and as humanitarian parolees need strong wraparound services including housing, legal assistance, childcare, and job training,” said Aimee Mitchell, chief of community service for Ascentria.
Mitchell said the federal government will supply some funding to accompany humanitarian parolees, but not enough to cover the full cost of their resettlement in a state like Massachusetts, where affordable housing can be particularly scarce.
Just a few weeks ago, Emma Tobin, chief programs officer at the International Institute of New England, said it was too soon to tell how many evacuees from Afghanistan would look to resettle in Massachusetts or when, but she said existing and former Afghan clients have reached out to say their families are working through the processes to travel to the U.S.
“We are preparing for the likelihood that Afghan families will be arriving in Massachusetts, and that we’ll be serving them,” Tobin said.
The organization, which offers myriad resettlement services, has accepted about 330 Afghan families since 2014, with a good number heading to Lowell.
Our Governor is Charlie Baker, who is a RINO, and who hates Trump.
I remembder when Hillary ran against Trump, I predicted that, although Trump won , in this left wing state and in the Boston area she would trounce Trump by a 3-1 margin-I was wrong she trounced Pres. Trump by a 6-1 margin.
That is how bad it is for us right wingers in Massachusetts.-Tom
Put 30 per house in Martha’s Vineyard.
It would be hysterical if the refugees turned blue states red.
We live just across the state line from MA, but if I see somebody half-clothed chasing my neighbor’s goats, I will know what happened....
;-)
you’ll smell them before you see them.
“It would be hysterical if the refugees turned blue states red.”
Bill Maher said it best last week. People from oppressed countries love the US because they experienced real oppression and appreciate the US overall. You will always have some dissenters like Omar Ilhan.
My sister lives N VA The Afghans that were settling there over the last 4-5 years are very hard workers and patriotic.
The translators and their families will make great Americans, I’m worried about them just loading street people onto planes to boost their numbers. Translators, Christians and Christian converts as well.
“I’m worried about them just loading street people onto planes to boost their numbers”
From what I have read the “Best and Brightest/educated” are the ones that got out.
One reason the taliban got smart and stopped the Afghans from leaving.
The Taliban is smart enought to see the brain drain. Even the Taliban leader said all the educated ones were leaving and who would run the nuts and bolts of the country and that concerned him.
A slap in the face to the families of the 13 dead
I was actually playing with that notion in my head this morning. It would be great but I think the odds are against it happening. First, democrats have perfected the art of getting third worlders on public assistance and then coaching them to vote in their interests. Second, republicans are totally inept with outreach to new groups, and, "inept," is probably being charitable.
Brain drain? LOL
The average IQ of Afghans is in the 80’s.
One thing for sure, the Afghans know the difference between a man and a woman. I don't think they will be too happy with men using the women's restroom. Of course the Afghans might bypass the ballot box, and "take it to the street."
The people who worked with the translators need to get in touch with them and help them adjust. Carl Higbie (sp) had his translator from Iraq on, that guy is more American than most Americans and more conservative than half the people on FR. Great guy and a welcome addition to our country.
Let them stay at the Obama's when They are in D.C. .
Who said their IQ is less than 80?
Illiterate and dumb are two different things
I had two uncle’s who dropped out of school in 8th grade during the height of depression to work on the farm. They were uneducated by today’s standard but we’re two of the smartest men I have ever known.
Afghanistan is lucky it’s not the other way around...Massachusetts refugees arriving there.
GTFO NOW! Any demonrat city is soon yo be a living hell.
The Pajama Parties have arrived
“The average IQ of Afghans is in the 80’s.”
Beats most democrats.
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