September 24, 2021

LETTER: Rep. Gallego & Colleagues Urge White House to Form Afghan Resettlement Advisory Council

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-07), along with 15 other members of Congress, sent a letter to the White House urging the Biden Administration to create an Afghan Resettlement Advisory Council to ensure Afghans, experts, and stakeholders who are on the ground to assist in the resettlement of Afghans in the United States have a seat at the decision-making table.

Click here to read the full letter.

"If we want our Afghan allies and at-risk Afghan populations to receive the best possible treatment when they settle in America, then we need to create a system that encourages collaboration and input from the groups that will lead the day-to-day resettlement process," Rep. Ruben Gallego said. "That is why we're asking the White House to prioritize the voices of Afghans, experts, and stakeholders who will be present at every step of the resettlement process, and I, along with my colleagues in the House, stand by ready to assist the administration in their efforts to help these refugees and their families."

The letter says in part:

"Bringing Afghan refugees to America for safe harbor is only the first step towards ensuring America keeps its promise to our friends and allies. This welcome must be accompanied by a long-term commitment to meeting the needs of this new population and ensuring that Afghans and their families, as well as the communities that welcome them, have the resources they need to succeed. Meeting that challenge will require open communication and efficient, compassionate, and user-informed decision-making, which can and should be facilitated by the creation of an Afghan Refugee Resettlement Advisory Council for both the short- and long-term resettlement process..."

Members of the House of Representatives signed-on to the letter include: Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA), Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-NJ), Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA), Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ), Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA), Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-NY), Rep. Brian Higgins (D-NY), Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT), Rep. Hank Johnson Jr. (D-GA), Rep. Kaiali'I Kahele (D-HI), Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT), Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), and Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA).

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Rep. Ruben Gallego is a Marine Corps combat veteran who served in Iraq. He serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Natural Resources Committee, and the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.