BOSTON (WHDH) - Local nonprofits are working to welcome refugees from Afghanistan as they arrive in Massachusetts, with more than 1,000 eventually expected to come to the Bay State.
The first refugees, a family of three, arrived in the state yesterday, according to the Biden administration. Some refugees aided American troops and officials in Afghanistan and others were selected based on need, and they will all need food, clothing and places to stay, said Daniel Periera, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition.
“Being able to land in this country [they will] establish a base, get comfortable, get a stable foundation for the rest of their lives,” Periera said. “We have people who meet refugees as they arrive at the airport, pick them up and say ‘you’re home,’ in a sense.”
In a statement, a spokesperson for Gov. Charlie Baker said “Massachusetts is pleased to welcome the first family of Afghan evacuees to the Commonwealth and looks forward to working with the federal government and local nonprofits who serve these populations as additional evacuees arrive in the coming weeks and months.”
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)