DeWine: 855 Afghan refugees will come to Ohio for resettlement

Cincinnati agency will assist 50; most headed to northern or central part of state.

More than 800 Afghan refugees will come to Ohio through the U.S. Department of State’s Afghan Placement and Assistance Program.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced Thursday that the federal government notified the state of the 855 refugees that will be placed with eight resettlement agencies located mainly in northeast and central Ohio.

“These are individuals who have been partners with United States and deserve our support in return for the support they’ve given us,” DeWine stated in the release. “Thank you to the resettlement agencies and communities who have stepped forward and demonstrated they have the resources necessary to help these individuals in their time of need.”

The first group of Afghanis totals 37,000 individuals who are arriving in the U.S. under humanitarian parole. The federal government is screening and vetting those in this assistance program and they have not yet received official refugee status nor a special immigrant visa, according to the governor’s office. Program details can be found at https://www.dhs.gov/allieswelcome

Placements are expected to occur over the next six months to agencies in Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland, Toledo and Akron.

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