Arkansas Catholic reports that Catholic Charities of Arkansas will resettle up to 49, or about half, of the 98 Afghan refugees allocated to the state. Canopy Northwest Aransas will resettle the others.
The article says that the first refugees will arrive at the beginning of October. Jennifer Verkamp-Ruthven, director of Catholic Charities Immigration Services, said the refugees would be housed within a 100-mile radius of Little Rock. Caseworkers will help the Afghans find employment; enroll in school, English second language programs and cultural orientation classes, and meet with the Social Security Administration to aid their assimilation.
Bishop Andrew Taylor called for people to show compassion for the refugees. From the article:
Verkamp-Ruthven said the refugees have undergone heightened security vetting and comprehensive health screening and vaccinations.
“We’ve got the most secure system for processing refugees in the entire world — multiple security clearances, multiple health clearances to make it all work,” she said. “The people who are coming are people who helped us. They’re not anti-American. There’s going to be a mix of people who worked for the government, journalists, female educators, activists, athletes. They’re leaving a horrible situation, literally fleeing for their life. People don’t just decide one day to leave their homes and go halfway around the world. No one wants to leave their home, family, all their things.
“A lot of people in Arkansas have a pro-life outlook,” she said. “This is a pro-life issue.”