Washington
“Refugees Welcome”– Washington’s commitment to help people escaping violence and deprivation
Story
Washington state has a protracted, bipartisan historical past of welcoming refugees fleeing warfare and persecution, even when different states tried to show them away. Within the late Nineteen Seventies, Governor Dan Evans was one of many first governors within the nation to just accept refugees from Vietnam. In 2015, Gov. Jay Inslee harkened to Evans’ principled stand when he took a vocal stance in help of Syrian refugees as a wave of governors made statements saying they needed to proclaim their states as “off limits.”
Prior to now 5 a long time, greater than 140,000 folks have resettled in Washington. This consists of greater than 30,000 refugees from over 70 nations who’ve resettled in Washington state by means of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program during the last decade.
With the withdrawal of United States troops from Afghanistan in August 2021, america evacuated greater than 70,000 folks. The Biden administration established Operation Allies Welcome to assist resettle Afghan evacuees into native communities throughout the nation, together with in Washington. This attracts parallels to the drawing parallels to the autumn of Vietnam and the evacuation of refugees within the late Nineteen Seventies with Operation New Arrivals.
After years of low arrivals as a result of earlier federal administration insurance policies and the pandemic, Washington’s refugee resettlement infrastructure is strained. With extra sources offered by the Washington Legislature, the state’s Workplace of Refugee and Immigrant Help is working to stabilize, strengthen, and help the organizations that function the welcoming committee for Washington’s latest neighbors.
Constructing off the work accomplished since then, ORIA will proceed to work with communities and organizations to help these in search of refuge in Washington state, from Ukraine and internationally.
Learn the remainder of the story on the governor’s Medium web page.
Washington state has a protracted, bipartisan historical past of welcoming refugees fleeing warfare and persecution, even when different states tried to show them away. Within the late Nineteen Seventies, Governor Dan Evans was one of many first governors within the nation to just accept refugees from Vietnam. In 2015, Gov. Jay Inslee harkened to Evans’ principled stand when he took a vocal stance in help of Syrian refugees as a wave of governors made statements saying they needed to proclaim their states as “off limits.”
Prior to now 5 a long time, greater than 140,000 folks have resettled in Washington. This consists of greater than 30,000 refugees from over 70 nations who’ve resettled in Washington state by means of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program during the last decade.
With the withdrawal of United States troops from Afghanistan in August 2021, america evacuated greater than 70,000 folks. The Biden administration established Operation Allies Welcome to assist resettle Afghan evacuees into native communities throughout the nation, together with in Washington. This attracts parallels to the drawing parallels to the autumn of Vietnam and the evacuation of refugees within the late Nineteen Seventies with Operation New Arrivals.
After years of low arrivals as a result of earlier federal administration insurance policies and the pandemic, Washington’s refugee resettlement infrastructure is strained. With extra sources offered by the Washington Legislature, the state’s Workplace of Refugee and Immigrant Help is working to stabilize, strengthen, and help the organizations that function the welcoming committee for Washington’s latest neighbors.
Constructing off the work accomplished since then, ORIA will proceed to work with communities and organizations to help these in search of refuge in Washington state, from Ukraine and internationally.
Learn the remainder of the story on the governor’s Medium web page.
Media Contact
Public and constituent inquiries | 360.902.4111
Press inquiries | 360.902.4136
Public and constituent inquiries | 360.902.4111
Press inquiries | 360.902.4136