300+ Afghan refugees are coming to Connecticut, Lamont says

‘It is our turn to return the favor,’ the governor declares

As Afghan refugees travel to find peace and stability, Connecticut is welcoming them with open arms, Gov. Ned Lamont said Wednesday evening.

The White House informed the governor Wednesday afternoon that the state soon will be asked to accept as many as 310 Afghan refugees for resettlement.

Lamont said the Connecticut Department of Social Services will work with partners across state, federal and local governments to make necessary resources available and provide support to the men, women and children coming from Afghanistan.

“I welcome these individuals with open arms into our wonderful state,” Lamont said. “It is our obligation and our duty to ensure

these Afghan refugees feel welcome in our state, and we will work to ensure they have everything they need from food and shelter to education and job training.”

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security told Lamont’s office that these refugees will have been vetted and have “all necessary vaccinations, including for COVID-19.”

“These evacuees are our allies and have supported our country for years, and it is our turn to return the favor,” Lamont said. “Connecticut has a legacy of being there for those in need, and we are proud to answer the call.”

Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services, a nonprofit resettlement agency based in New Haven, will receive at least 200 refugees and possibly another

100 later on, according to Ann O’Brien, the director of community engagement at IRIS.

The Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants, a Bridgeportbased resettlement agency, is also taking in 100 refugees, O’Brien said.

The refugees are anticipated to arrive after the next three weeks, and will be resettled all throughout Connecticut, O’Brien said.

“These are the people that want all the same things in terms of a quiet life, the ability to work in peace and send their kids to school,” O’Brien said. “These are families just like all of us and they have been uprooted in the middle of a conflict zone and deposited on a military base. And they need to feel welcomed and loved.”

IRIS typically receives a couple of families a week, so this is a much higher volume than the agency is used to. The agency usually tries to get an

apartment ready before a family’s arrival, but some families might at first need to stay in temporary housing, such as hotels, Airbnbs or churches. before moving into an affordable apartment furnished with donated goods.

The resettlement agency will move families into affordable apartments furnished with donated goods and, through hundreds of volunteers, help the refugees find jobs, get kids enrolled in school, learn English, navigate the bus system and anything else they need to acclimate into the community.

Both IRIS and CIRI are asking for donations to help accommodate the incoming families.

The state has also joined Welcome.US, a national effort committed to helping Afghan refugees resettle in the United States, according to Lamont’s office.