U.S. Rep.: California Has 'Moral Obligation' To Assist Afghans

Concord CA

31 August, 2021

10:05 PM

Description

CONCORD, CA — As Afghan citizens begin to make their way to the Bay Area as they flee from the Taliban, a concerted effort is underway to find as many of these refugees places to live and support as they begin their new lives. On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Mark DeSaulnier met with Contra Costa County Afghans to show his support of the movement that has started around the region and Northern California. The meeting, in which DeSaulnier said on social media that he was moved by, comes just days after officials from the Noor Islamic and Cultural Center in Concord, said they are seeking donations from the community to help Muslim immigrants get assimilated. The transition out of Afghanistan comes on the heels of the United States pulling all of its military troops out of the country after spending the past 20 years in the region. Although the cost of living is steep in the Bay Area as well as other parts of California, DeSaulnier said that the state must do its part to welcome those who need a new start. "With recently-evacuated Afghans having already arrived in Contra Costa and more on their way, it is our moral obligation to do all we can to support them," DeSaulnier said after Tuesday's meeting "Our office is committed to aiding their resettlement by coordinating with federal, state, and local agencies as well as community partners, like Noor Islamic Cultural and Community Center, to help ensure this process is as smooth as possible for our new neighbors." We have a moral obligation to support resettlement efforts for recently-evacuated Afghans. Today, we met with local leaders at Noor Islamic Cultural and Community Center about how our office can help newly-arriving Afghans here in Contra Costa. pic.twitter.com/PqZsPFiygc— Mark DeSaulnier (@RepDeSaulnier) August 31, 2021 Sedique Popal, the president of the Board of Directors at the Noor Center, said earlier this week that he is gathering care packages to support the Afghans with basic needs such as toiletries, clothing, household items and other necessities to ease their transition to American life. He said that he will work with government leaders, including DeSaulnier, to arrange housing for the refugees, who, the University of San Francisco linguistics professor said, are "running for their lives" as they escape the Taliban. Popal said that the timeline has not yet been determined for when the Afghan refugees will begin to arrive in the area. He said that many are still at military bases overseas being processed and screened before they will eventually make their way to the United States. In a tweet posted to his account Tuesday, DeSaulnier said he remains committed to "doing all I can to help this cause." "We have relocated more people from around the world who have come here as refugees than any other state," DeSaulnier said at the meeting, according to media reports. "And we have a good infrastructure that way. Is it perfect? No, but we're getting better all the time." Bay City News Service contributed reporting.