White House officials announced last week that Georgia will be taking in a total of 1,069 Afghan refugees escaping from the Taliban takeover of their home country. Gov. Brian Kemp’s office has confirmed that number, and while state officials have pledged to ensure that all of the refugees are properly vetted before they are placed into local communities, that process is overseen by federal authorities.
In fact the state itself has little say in the refugee resettlement process, with federal officials handing off the baton to resettlement nonprofits once they are vetted and brought into Georgia. The state does have a state refugee coordinator, overseeing a division of the Department of Human Services, to help refugees “become self-reliant to meet their basic needs, within the shortest possible period.”
According to Kemp press secretary Katie Byrd all of the refugees headed to Georgia have been fully vetted as well as undergone health screenings through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of State.
“Our office will continue to insist on full transparency regarding all individuals relocated to Georgia, including ensuring each person has been completely and thoroughly vetted by the appropriate federal authorities, and that state officials are provided all pertinent information regarding the resettlement process in a timely manner,” said Byrd, in a statement.
The DHS says it will begin giving the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to refugees as they enter the country. The health screenings will also include vaccinations for measles – as the CDC said this week it knew of 16 cases among Afghani refugees and would also be forcing them to quarantine for 21 days.
Once the refugees arrive in Georgia the federal government provides just 90 days of direct assistance before handing over control to the resettlement nonprofits that are tasked with integrating refugees into their respective communities. Refugees are expected in Atlanta, Clarkston, and Savannah, among other cities, though the exact locations and dates are arrival have not yet been announced.
Next up – refugees will receive special immigrant visas (SIVs), and resettlement agencies will work with municipalities to help secure housing. SIVs are dedicated for Afghani nationals and their families who aided the U.S. military during the war against the Taliban.
Georgia took in 213 refugees in total between October 2020 and August of 2021, so the nearly-1,100 it is slated to receive will put a strain on agencies used to working with much smaller numbers. Additional federal aid is expected to accompany the refugees as they arrive to help agencies as they begin the resettlement process.
