California Governor Gavin Newsom said the state is open for people who are scrambling to escape Afghanistan.
The concern was tackled by the governor today at a vote no during the recall rally.
“We’re a state of refuge,” he said. “I’m proud of the fact over the last decade California has taken in more refugees than any other state in America, and I’m proud of the fact a disproportionate number of Afghani refugees are here in Northern California, not just here in the south, but also up in Sacramento County. We’re already working in terms of a lot of those refugees coming in and working with CBOs and non-profit organizations to make sure that they feel welcome and celebrated as members of our community.”
The necessity to welcome the refugees from Afghanistan was also addressed by Representative Zoe Lofgren.
“The governor is right, we have always stepped forward to welcome new Americans into our country and we’re stronger for it,” Lofgren said.
According to UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres, all of the nations must welcome Afghan refugees in their territories.
“We cannot and must not abandon the people of Afghanistan,” the secretary-general said, ABC7 reported.
The Taliban on Sunday have already reached Afghanistan’s capital city following the collapse of the government. The country’s president fled along with other residents and foreigners, indicating that the nearly 20 years of U.S. drive to transform the country has ended.
Armed Taliban fighters took over the capital as many of them accessed the empty presidential palace in Kabul. The militant group will negotiate in the next few days to create an “open, inclusive Islamic government”, as its spokesperson told The Associated Press.
