be sure to watch washington journal, next week. starting december 26 at 7 a.m. eastern. your special holiday week author series. on c-span. part of our new mobile video app. c-span now. host: the plight of afghan refugees coming into the united states, the topic of our discussion with nazanin ash, the chief executive officer of welcome.us. thanks for coming on the program. guest: thanks for having me. host: can you tell our viewers what welcome.us is and the role it takes when it comes to afghan refugee settlement? guest: absolutely. it is built to inspire and mobilize the american people to welcome and support all those who are seeking safety and refuge here in the united states beginning with our afghan allies. we work very closely with local

and national resettlement agencies, federal states and local governments with hundreds of nonprofits, the private sector, and many across the american public who are raising their hands to make contributions and welcome our newest afghan neighbors and we help coordinate and direct those resources and those assets to where it is needed most. host: how many refugees are in the process of being resettled from afghanistan for -- after the pullout? guest: there were 100,000 afghans at risk who were evacuated as part of the evacuation of the u.s. from afghanistan and 70,000 of those have now arrived here in the united states. eight military bases across the united states, they received their final paperwork and processing and covid vaccinations and initial orientation and now close to a

little over 40,000 of those initial 70,000 have made their way across the united states to new communities where they will be rebuilding their lives. host: what is the length of time between going to one of those bases before finding another place where they will end up relocating to? guest: the bases were set up to be short-term temporary processing locations. what it has been a longer timeframe -- but it has been a longer time for many refugees arriving here because they have arrived in the midst of an extraordinary affordable housing crisis in the united states. doing their final processing on the basis and making sure that they have the right housing and other welcoming support for them in their communities of final destination has been a challenge, but it is a challenge we are solving with tremendous support from american institutions and the american

public. it has been encouraging to see how many across the american tapestry are putting their hands up to help. host: when a refugee has relocated to where they will stay permanently, how much assistance comes directly from the government and what does that assistance look like? guest: that assistance looks like $2275 per person to help you get your legs under you in your first 30 to 90 days here in the united states. that goes to support your first month rent and security deposit, setting up your household, getting clothes and food and basic supplies. you are also eligible for other government support including foodstamps, income assistance, housing assistance. these are the assets that newcomers rely on as they are finding their footing in the united states. what is so remarkable about the

refugee assistance program, refugees are supported by a tremendous network of resettlement agencies who supplement government resources that are provided with private sector money including the type that we are raising through welcome.us. with that support, refugees have an extraordinary history of success here in the united states. almost 90% who participate in job placement programs are self-sufficient within six months. host: what else comes from charities that work alongside? i am assuming charities work alongside the united states in these efforts and the state is coming alongside as well. guest: absolutely. it is a national, local, community effort of nonprofits and private sector organizations that provide welcome and support to refugees and that is everything from helping them find their first home, set up

their first apartment, facilitate local transportation, learning how to get around in your community, ensuring that they complete their immigration paperwork so that they can maintain their status and be authorized to work and providing a host of mental, legal, and other health services to help them restart their lives here in the united states. host: you cannot see the headline, but "the new york times" recently did a story. the headline says, at every step they encounter something blocks. u.s. officials can see the system was unprepared. would you characterize it that way? guest: we are experiencing an extraordinary national challenge of resettling 100,000 afghan newcomers in less than six months. we have not done anything like it in over 40 years. the reason welcome.us was

founded and the inside of the cofounders of welcome.us, who each work as the domestic policy advisers for president bush and president obama, was that this is a challenge only if we do not tap into the tournament's capacity of the american people and american institutions to make their contributions to welcoming and supporting newcomers. what has been inspiring to see in this role is that in less than 100 days, we have mobilized over $40 million from the private sector in cash and goods and services to help support afghan arrivals. we have built the largest coalition in history by three former presidents and three former first ladies to make their contributions to ensuring that afghan newcomers are resettled safely and that coalition includes local and

national nonprofits and resettlement agencies. it also includes universities and colleges. it includes the private sector and philanthropy. it includes leadership from across the american tapestry from politics to media to art to entertainment, all of whom are putting up their hands and making their contributions to help. host: nazanin ash is the chief executive officer for welcome.us and if you want to ask her questions about what goes on for those coming from afghanistan, you are welcome to call (202) 748-8000 for the eastern and central time zones. (202) 748-8001 for the mountain and pacific time zones. you can text us at (202) 748-8003. if i may, you have yourself a story to shell -- share as how you came to the united states, if you would not mind. guest: i am happy to share. i have definitely benefited from the safety and refuge that the

united states provides to those who seek it. my parents came to the united states from iran as students and made the decision to stay windy iranian revolution happened and for my future. while i would never compare my experience to the extraordinary hardship of the immediate displacement and trauma that the afghan newcomers and many refugees face, my family has experienced that instruction and uncertainty that comes with the unanticipated dislocation from your family, from the life you knew and the path that you thought you were on, but also benefiting from the extraordinary opportunity and welcome that america provides. i am grateful to my parents for making that decision on my behalf and grateful to have opportunities to give back. host: given your own experience and what you might see for those

coming from afghanistan aside from providing food and shelter, how are they prepared for culture shock as far as the united states compared to where they came from? guest: this is an experience that every newcomer faces and it is an experience that many americans hold in common. what is extraordinary about the american experience is that so many millions have come from different cultures, from different backgrounds, and from different contexts, different faiths, and they have made their lives here and contributed to the strength of our nation. i anticipate that the experience of our newest afghan neighbors, it will be tough going for a while. it is hard. we all saw the circumstances from which they left afghanistan. we note that they arrived with literally the close -- clothes

and cash that they could carry and very little else. they are arriving in a new country with a new context with a language that is very unknown to them and it will take a little bit of time. what makes dad's easier is the welcome that is provided to them -- what makes that path easier is the welcome that is provided to them, show them around, help them register their kids in school, tell them where to go grocery shopping, where to get a cup of tea. these are all countless acts of welcome that help smooth the path for newcomers and it is a history that we all share. host: our first call is from sean in fort lauderdale, florida for our guest nazanin ash of welcome.us. good morning. caller: it is so good to help humanity. utility super rich people to put them -- you tell the super rich people to put them in their mansions. you have to get rid of greed first for humanity to come to

one accord. you cannot sit there and smile and act like this is utopia when americans themselves cannot get houses. what about all of the inflation? host: as far as about afghan refugees, what would you like to ask? caller: that is what i am talking about. you have american refugees on the streets. put them in a house before you take care of another problem on the east side. you have to help people, but you have to make sense also. host: that is sean in fort lauderdale. guest: thank you for raising your concern. what is extraordinary about welcoming newcomers to the united states is you do not have to make a choice between putting americans first and meeting their needs. the history of refugee resettlement is extraordinarily successful. refugees start businesses at 50%

higher rate than native populations. they are job creators. i mentioned that they are self-sufficient within six months. a study in the previous set administration demonstrated that refugees contribute $63 billion more in taxes to our economy than they receive in public services. this is a circumstance that americans will call a win-win. we are welcoming newcomers and allowing them to make contributions to our economy, society, and culture. it benefits all of us. host: you are next. hi. caller: good morning. i am very sorry what happened in afghanistan. i agree with the previous caller that americans, we have our own issues. we have veterans who are homeless. we have kids who are struggling in school and we need to take care of our own before we can start taking care of others. i am very sorry what happened in afghanistan, but it is just like

sometimes i feel like it is a slap in the face. i do have a question. how is this being funded? is this being funded with tax dollars? thank you. guest: thanks for your question. one of the most amazing things about this effort is how our veterans have really led the national call to service and to response for our afghan allies. it really demonstrates that we do not have to make choices here between taking care of americans and taking care of newcomers. when we do it successfully, we all benefit. it is a contribution that contributes to the rising tide that raises all boats with contributions to the economy, with the jobs created, some of our most iconic businesses from

google to intel were started by refugees. we have benefited tremendously in this society, as a nation, and as an economy from welcoming the creativity, the entrepreneurship, the striving of american newcomers. host: as far as the caller's second point, you talked about the initial help financially when a refugee comes to the united states. is that directly through taxpayer funds? guest: there are taxpayer funds that provide both the initial support that refugees receive and the benefits that they have access to, which are benefits available to all low income americans, poverty assistance, food stamps, those are also taxpayer-funded. there is also an extraordinary public-private partnership that supports refugee resettlement and it is what we have seen demonstrated in the response to

this national endeavor so far where our welcome fund has raised $15 million just in the last 100 days from over 500 large and small donors. what is provided by taxpayer dollars is supplemented in very important ways by private contribution, both donations of money, but also so many resources. people donating furniture, donating clothing, paying for groceries, and donating their time and volunteering to help newcomers navigate their new communities and navigator systems. host: you have a background at the state department before you came to your current position. for those numbers that are coming here, what is the process of background checks done by the state department? guest: it is a very extensive security and background check process conducted by u.s. government agencies.

there are over 12 agencies including our security and intelligence agencies that are involved in doing the security and background checks for refugees before they arrive here. four afghan newcomers particularly when they were evacuated from afghanistan, they were first evacuated to military bases overseas and that is where the government conducted their extensive security and background checks and did that before any newcomers were admitted to the united states and when they were admitted to the united states, they were received on eight military bases across the country where they conducted their final paperwork and health screenings before they were resettled to committees across the united states. the process is very expensive. there is no more rigorous screening process for entry to the united states than the refugee program. host: jeff in california.

hello. caller: good morning. i am from northern california and we have a couple of large afghan communities. they are great folks. i welcome them to the united states. they do take care of themselves. they have a very tight community. they do not end up staying on social security or any of these other things. i just reiterate that i am glad to have them here and good luck to all of them. guest: that is so kind of you to share and his kindness has been seen in communities across the united states. we are seeing our newest afghan neighbors arrive in large numbers to communities in northern california, socal, texas, and northern virginia. maryland, washington, d.c., and the tri-state area connecting

with afghan networks that are here and connecting with those communities. the afghan diaspora community has responded in really tremendous ways and sprung into action to create a network of support for their newest afghan neighbors to welcome them into their community. host: "the hill" had a story about where refugees are heading. you mentioned most of the states. it also had hawaii, south dakota, and mississippi have resettled far less. as far as the states that take them, why the seven states? why is that list not expanded? guest: there are over -- nearly all 50 states are receiving afghan refugees. 46 if i remember correctly. what resettlement agencies seek to prioritize in finding placements for afghan newcomers

and all refugees, they seek to find the placements that can contribute to their success. in this case as the previous caller mentioned, there are many afghan diaspora communities and many of the afghans who are arriving now have community-based ties here in the united states for obvious reasons, having left their network, their friends, their families behind in afghanistan. they are eager to connect with afghan communities here and they are eager to connect with their community ties here in the united states. resettlement agencies have thought -- fought as much as possible to be able to enjoy that -- ensure that our newest afghan neighbors can be resettled in communities where they have networks. give an extraordinary affordable housing challenges in many of those same states, it is not always possible. in many states, like oklahoma

has created specific programs to incentivize and support afghan newcomers to come to their state. that is an interesting part of their refugee resettlement history. refugees have a history of rebuilding communities that have experienced population decline. many states are putting their hands up and asking to receive afghan refugees because they know it will help them rebuild their communities and rebuild their economies. host: this is nazanin ash joining us for this discussion, chief executive officer from welcome.us. rick is next. caller: i just want to make a couple of comments. a lot of american soldiers died for those people over there. and they are supposed to come here. some of them will come to defend the country but they cannot

defend their own country. none of these men should be allowed to get on any plane and they cannot even defend their own country. you had this cloud and -- clown in the white house. host: we will leave it to your first point. as far as prioritizing women and children versus men, our families -- are families generally kept together? guest: i think as many could imagine, staying together with our families is incredibly important and it makes a huge contribution to the success we can have here. alongside the tremendous challenges that afghan newcomers are facing in rebuilding their lives in a new country, new context, new culture, and a language that is unfamiliar to them, still among the primary concern is the family left behind.

afghanistan is experiencing an extraordinary humanitarian crisis. 60% of the country is in need of humanitarian aid and if things continue as they are, we can expect to see near poverty across the entire population. circumstances that they face were very much beyond their control. there was violence and uncertainty and instruction that put many lives at risk, including people who supported the u.s. mission in afghanistan, but also those who were advocating for human rights and for equal opportunity and now found themselves, literally their lives in danger because of the help they were fighting for for their country. keeping families together is a really critical part of

successful integration in the united states. i am glad to say that every effort was made to keep families together. host: as far as getting a job, what has to happen for a refugee who comes to the united states who is relocated in order for them to work here? guest: every afghan newcomer arriving in the united states arrives with work authorization. when they leave the military bases to go to their final communities, as part of the paperwork that was completed as their work authorization paperwork. they are able to be employed immediately. we are experiencing an extraordinarily tight housing market. many private sector companies are putting up their hands to help facilitate jobs for our

newest afghan neighbors. many come with english language because they worked with u.s. agencies, they work for u.s. nonprofits or media organizations. many come with language, but there are over 35,000 working age men and women in need of employment and while many come with language skills, many do not. what has been really heartening to see is private sector companies coming forward, offering jobs, but also offering training and mentorship programs that can help overcome the language and cultural and context barriers are newest afghan neighbors find their way in the united states. host: let's hear from danny in maryland. caller: good morning. my question is we have a mixed bag of good and bad refugees from afghanistan. for example, some dudes came

over and they had child brides. my question is out of all of the refugees that came, how many got sent back and how many were allowed to enter the country? you are on the side that sees the good ones but i wonder how many of the bad ones got sent back. thank you. guest: as we talked about earlier in the program, all of the afghan evacuees receive extensive security and background checks before they were allowed entry to the united states. i am not aware of those who have been sent back and have encountered challenges since arriving. but there is no more rigorous pathway for security and background check than the

refugee program and it was no different for these afghan arrivals. host: if they desire to become a u.s. citizen, do they go through the normal process? are they given an expedited process? guest: this is a really good question and it is one that faces congress right now. many of the afghans who have arrived on what is called humanitarian parole which provides safety and refuge and a legal right to stay in the united states for up to two years. what is before congress right now is the afghan adjustment act which would give afghan arrivals the opportunity to transfer to permanent legal status after one year in the united states. otherwise, they will need to renew their humanitarian parole

status and they will have to seek asylum. we know that there is already an asylum backlog of one million individuals and that could lead to a lot of uncertainty and instability. the regular refugee resettlement program allows refugees to apply for permanent legal status after one year and to apply for citizenship after five years here in the united states and that is the status we are seeking for afghan allies, but it will require congress to act. host: this is peter in florida. caller: thanks for taking my call. i'm going to throw three fastballs and i do not mean to be rude. why do we tell the homeless people in miami living under bridges? we do not have any aid for the homeless. we are being evicted because we

decided to let congress run the show. more people are becoming homeless. how much money per afghan refugee is being given every month to them so we can tell the homeless what they are not getting. are they getting healthcare and who are these private corporations that have these jobs and can help these people that are turning their back on the americans that are desperate? host: thanks. i will take a portion of what he said because you have addressed one of the things before. as far as healthcare, how is that in the united states? guest: they are eligible for the same programs that all low income americans are eligible for. they are eligible for medicaid assistance and for other forms of low income assistance. what i would say to the caller is everyone deserves a shot. americans here who are living in poverty and do not have the

services they need deserve the services that would help them be successful and services that refugees receive allow them to be successful. i did not see this as making a choice. we should help those in need and the history of assisting refugees is one that demonstrates that they have paid back that assistance multi fold in contributions here in the united states. host: the name of the organization is also the website welcome.us. if you want to find out more, nazanin ash serves as the chief executive officer. >> an update on the administration's effort to combat the omicron variant.

we will hear from dr. anthony ouchi and the cdc director rochelle walensky. that will start on c-span at c-span.org or coverage on c-span now, our new video app. >> house and senate have adjourned for the holiday recess and will return in early january for the second session of the 117th congress. on its return, the senate will take up the president's initials any plan known as build back better. despite what joe manchin announced it is opposition to the bill. senate democratic leadership hoped to dig up democratic voting rights legislation which may require changing filibuster rules. the result of the february 18 deadline for both chambers of congress to pass federal spending legislation to avert a government shutdown. watch these developments on the c-span network when congress returns, or you can watch the full coverage on c-span now, our

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