News > Immigration In The United States

We Welcome Afghan Refugees

Posted on Aug 24 2021

August 24, 2021—ILCM Executive Director Veena Iyer’s statement on welcoming and supporting Afghan refugees:

Minnesota has a long history of welcoming refugees. Minnesota has historically been home to more refugees per capita and the number one state for “secondary migration” of refugees resettled to other parts of the United States. In short, Minnesota welcomes and supports refugees, and the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota is proud to be a leader among organizations supporting refugees.

As we watch events unfold in Afghanistan, ILCM stands with individuals and organizations around the world, in the United States, and in Minnesota for the rapid processing and resettlement of Afghan refugees, especially those who—like the Hmong, Laoatians, Vietnamese, and others before them—worked alongside and protected the U.S. military. Most immediately, the refugees of Afghanistan need all of us in the United States:

• To advocate for the U.S. to do everything in its power to get Afghan refugees out of the country and to safety in the United States. We therefore encourage all of you to call your representatives and the White House to call for more resources to be devoted to evacuating and processing refugees and to cutting the red tape holding refugees back from safety.
• To support international organizations that have the experience and infrastructure to get refugees out of the country and begin the process to immigrate to the U.S. You can provide financial support to the efforts of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees as they work to support Afghan refugees displaced to third countries in the region, as well as the International Refugee Assistance Project, which specifically works with Afghans who have assisted the U.S. military to obtain special immigrant visas.
• To support Minnesota refugee resettlement agencies help refugees restart their lives in Minnesota. With funding from the state Resettlement Programs Office, ILCM partners with local refugee resettlement agencies including Arrive Ministries, International Institute of Minnesota, Lutheran Social Services, and Minnesota Council of Churches.  Each of these agencies, along with Catholic Charities in Rochester, accepts donations and volunteer assistance in helping refugees rebuild their lives in the U.S.

As the United States and Minnesota prepare for an influx of refugees, ILCM stands ready to provide the support that refugees will need once they arrive, including:

• Assisting Afghan refugees who arrive outside the formal resettlement process and who face the possibility of detention and deportation to obtain immigration status; and
• Representing Afghan refugees who have resettled in Minnesota with obtaining lawful permanent residence and citizenship.

Over our 25 year history, ILCM is proud to have supported many generations of refugees—from refugees of the conflicts in Southeast Asia to refugees of civil wars in East Africa to refugees of the dictatorship in Myanmar—to obtain permanent legal status in the United States and to fully participate in our democracy. In this moment, we support the efforts of all of our sister organizations on the front lines who are working tirelessly to help Afghan nationals escape from immediate danger, and we stand ready to take the baton and assist our newest refugees to permanently establish their home in Minnesota.