As the Taliban has taken over Afghanistan, thousands are seeking refuge in the United States as well as other countries.
According to KXAN, a report from Refugee Services of Texas suggests that 30,000 Afghans will soon be relocated to the United States, with some being temporarily housed at Fort Bliss in El Paso, while at least 324 will be settled through the organization’s offices in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston.
KPRC says the refugees have applied for special immigrant visas and will undergo security background checks and health screenings before entering the U.S.
"We stand ready, willing, and able to work with our national resettlement partners, elected representatives, and the military to process and resettle as many people as possible," said Refugee Services of Texas-Austin in a tweet.
"We stand ready, willing, and able to work with our national resettlement partners, elected representatives, and the military to process and resettle as many people as possible."
Learn more about how you can help welcome newly arrived SIV's to Texas at https://t.co/dtpeYVfm0x pic.twitter.com/5Eg05i6ONb
— Refugee Services TX (@RST_Austin) August 16, 2021
The Afghan government crumbled quickly after U.S. troops started withdrawing from the country. Over the weekend, the Taliban captured Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, with very little fight from the Afghan army. This provided the Taliban with a grand victory, but has also left behind great uncertainty to Afghan citizens who were once held under the Taliban's brutal regime in the 1990’s.
“It is wrong to ask American troops to step up when Afghanistan’s own armed forces would not," President Joe Biden stated in an address to the nation on Monday.
In his address, the president said the U.S. has deployed thousands of troops to the country to assist with evacuating U.S. and allied personnel, as well as Afghans who have helped America and those at special risk from the Taliban advance.
According to Forbes, Canada and other members of NATO will also be accepting approved Afghan refugees fleeing from their country.
