% >>> WELCOME TO "NOON WEDNESDAY,"
% I'M MARISA WOJCIK, MULTIMEDIA
% JOURNALIST WITH "HERE & NOW" ON
% PBS WISCONSIN, AND TODAY IS
% AUGUST 18.
% AFGHAN PEOPLE WHO HAVE HELPED
% THE UNITED STATES MILITARY OVER
% THE LAST TWO DECADES ARE FLEEING
% AFGHANISTAN, WHICH IS NOW UNDER
% TALIBAN RULE OVER FEAR OF
% RETALIATION.
% THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES WILL BE
% TEMPORARILY HOUSED AT WISCONSIN
% AND TEXAS MILITARY INSTALLATIONS
% BEFORE FINDING A PERMANENT HOME.
% DAWDAWN BERNEY EXPLAINS HOW LOCL
% AGENCIES ARE PREPARING FOR A
% POTENTIAL INFLUX OF REFUGEES,
% AND, DAWN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
% JOINING US TODAY.
% >> THANK YOU.
% SO THIS IS WORK THAT WE HAVE
% BEEN DOING FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS
% NOW AS HAVE AFFILIATES ALL OVER
% THE COUNTRY, AN WE ARE GETTING
% READY PRIMARILY BY FINDING AND
% FIGURING OUT WHERE THERE ARE
% AVAILABLE APARTMENTS, WHICH, FOR
% US, IS THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY
% TO GET READY FOR NEW ARRIVALS.
% IN THE SHORT TERM, BECAUSE WE DO
% EXPECT A VERY QUICK TURNAROUND,
% PEOPLE WILL LIKELY NEED TO GO
% INTO EXTENDED STAY HOTELS, SO WE
% ARE REACHING OUT TO THOSE, AND,
% ALSO, REACHING OUT TO LANDLORDS
% TO MAKE CONNECTIONS.
% WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR
% VOLUNTEERS.%>> AND I --
% >> OH --
% >> AND I WANT TO BACK UP JUST A
% LITTLE BIT, KIND OF JUST
% STARTING WITH HOW QUICKLY THIS
% PROCESS HAS ROLLED OUT, AND SO,
% YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN IMAGES JUST
% IN THE LAST FEW DAYS OF PEOPLE
% FLOODING THE KABUL AIRPORT, AND
% THAT'S AS THE TALIBAN QUICKLY
% TOOK POWER.
% WHEN ALL OF THIS STARTED, WHAT
% HAS BEEN GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND
% AS YOU HAVE SEEN THE EVENTS IN
% AFGHANISTAN UNFOLD OVER THE LAST
% FEW WEEKS?
% >> IT'S BEEN VERY UPSETTING.
% THESE ARE -- WE KNOW THAT SIDs
% ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING
% ALONGSIDE THE U.S. MILITARY AND
% THE MILITARY CONTRACTORS TO FOR
% THE LAST 20 YEARS, AND WE WANT
% TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE READY
% TO WELCOME THEM WITH OPEN ARMS.
% THIS IS JUST A HORRIFYING
% SITUATION, PARTICULARLY THE
% IMAGES OF PEOPLE FLEEING ON THE
% RUNWAY AND CLIMBING, AND TRYING
% TO CLIMB UP ON AIRPLANES AS THEY
% ARE TAKING OFF THE GROUND.
% >> AND THE SITUATION AND
% INFORMATION IS CHANGING VERY
% RAPIDLY, AS WE SAID, AND WHERE
% HAVE YOU BEEN GETTING YOUR
% INFORMATION AND UPDATES, AND IS
% ANYBODY CONCRETE AT THIS POINT?
% >> THERE'S VERY LITTLE CONCRETE.
% TO BE COMPLETELY HONEST, I HAVE
% GOTTEN A LOT OF BY-INFORMATION
% FROM WATCHING TV AND THE
% INTERNET, AND THE SAME AS
% EVERYONE ELSE, WHICH IS NOT
% TYPICAL FOR HOW THINGS HAPPEN,
% BUT WITH THAT'S JUST HOW QUICKLY
% IT IS.
% WE WORK WITH A NATIONAL AGENCY
% CALLED HYAS, AND WE LEARNED
% ABOUT THE -- ABOUT PEOPLE COMING
% TO FORT McCOY BEFORE THEY DID.
% WE LEARNED ABOUT IT, ACTUALLY,
% FROM A LOCAL AFFILIATE WHO HAS
% GOTTEN NEWS INFORMATION FROM A
% LOCAL TV AFFILIATE WHO HAD
% GOTTEN THE NEWS FROM THEIR
% NATIONAL, AND THE NATIONAL HAD
% CORNERED THE SECRETARY OF
% DEFENSE TO ASK HIM QUESTIONS,
% AND SO, TYPICALLY, THE STATE
% DEPARTMENT AND DEPARTMENT OF
% DEFENSE WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION
% TO OUR NATIONAL AND
% INTERNATIONAL WILL THEN SEND US
% INFORMATION, AND IT IS ALL
% HAPPENING SO QUICKLY THAT IT IS
% NOT WORK WITHING IN THE NORMAL
% COMMUNICATION DIRECTION.
% >> HOW DIFFICULT DOES THAT MAKE
% YOUR JOB?
% >> IT MAKING IT VERY STRESSFUL
% FOR ME, AND IT MAKES IT
% INCREDIBLY, INCREDIBLY STRESSFUL
% FOR MY STAFF, WHO ARE READY
% AROUND THE CLOCK AND NEW
% ARRIVALS.
% WE HAVE BEEN TOLD WE HAVE 24
% HOURS TO AGREE TO TAKE ON A
% CASE, INCLUDING WEEKENDS, AND
% THAT'S VERY DIFFERENT FOR US.
% USUALLY, WE HAVE A WEEK OR EVEN
% LONGER TO MAKE THAT DECISION,
% AND THEN ONCE WE AGREE TO TAKE A
% CASE, WE HAVE BEEN TOLD WE COULD
% POTENTIALLY EXPECT SOMEONE IN AS
% SOON AS 24 TO 48 HOURS.
% IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE HAPPENING
% RIGHT NOW.
% THERE SEEMS TO BE A BOTTLENECK.
% THESE PEOPLE COMING INTO FORT
% LEE CURRENTLY IN VIRGINIA, AND
% IT'S BEEN A VERY SLOW PROCESS,
% AND THAT IS WHY THEY ARE OPENING
% UP THESE NEW PLACES TO BE ABLE
% TO HELP BRING PEOPLE TO SPEED UP
% THE PROCESS.
% I THINK ONCE THEY GET SOME OF
% THESE KINKS FIGURED OUT, IT WILL
% HAPPEN RATHER QUICKLY.
% >> AND, SO, PEOPLE UNDERSTAND
% THAT PROCESS, IF AN AFGHAN
% PERSON AIDED U.S. MILITARY, THEY
% ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A SPECIAL
% IMMIGRANT VISA OR SIV, AS YOU
% SATED, AND WISCONSIN'S FORT
% McCOY IS PREPARING FOR SOME OF
% THESE AFGHAN REFUGEES TO BE
% BROUGHT TO THEIR MILITARY
% INSTALLATION, POSSIBLY IN THE
% THOUSANDS, AND THEN THEY WILL BE
% THERE TEMPORARILY, AND FROM
% THERE, THEY'LL DETERMINE WHERE
% TO RESETTLE PERMANENTLY?
% >> CORRECT.
% IF -- AND SIVs ARE ONCE THEY
% GET TO THE UNITED STATES,
% THEY -- THEY ARE PRETTY SIMILAR
% TO ALL OTHER REFUGEES, BUT ONE
% DIFFERENCE THAT SIVs HAVE IS
% THEY CAN CHOOSE WHERE THEY WANT
% TO GO.
% I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S GOING TO
% CHANGE WITH THIS LARGE INFLUX,
% BUT HISTORICALLY, AN SIV WHO
% COMES TO THE UNITED STATES CAN
% SAY, I WANT TO MOVE TO A
% DIFFERENT LOCATION, AND VERY
% OFTEN, THEY WILL DECIDE THEY
% WANT TO MOVE WHERE THEY ALREADY
% HAVE FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
% OUR AREA ACTUALLY HAS QUITE A
% FEW PEOPLE FROM AFGHANISTAN, SO
% WE DO EXPECT A NUMBER OF FOLKS
% DECIDE THEY WANT TO COME TO
% MADISON.
% >> AND SOMEONE WHO IS AT FORT
% McCOY MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY
% STAY IN WISCONSIN AT ALL, SO,
% AGAIN, DO WE JUST NOT HAVE ANY
% IDEA OF WHAT THE LANDSCAPE LOOKS
% LIKE?
% >> WE DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA.
% THE ONLY THING THAT WE HAVE TO
% COMPARE THIS TO IS REACHING ALL
% THE WAY BACK TO 1980 WHEN THE
% CUBANS WERE GETTING RESETTLED IN
% THE UNITED STATES, AND THOUSANDS
% CAME THROUGH FORT McCOY AT
% THAT POINT, AND I DON'T THINK
% VERY MANY OF THE CUBANS STAYED
% IN WISCONSIN.
% I BELIEVE THAT WAS BEFORE MY
% TIME, BUT I DON'T THINK THEY
% STAYED HERE.
% >> AND SO AS YOU SAID, YOU HAVE
% NOT BEEN GETTING MUCH
% INFORMATION TRICKLING DOWN TO
% YOU BESIDES THROUGH THE MEDIA.
% WHO NORMALLY GETS YOU THE
% INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED?
% HAVE THEY TOLD YOU ANYTHING AT
% THIS POINT?
% >> WE NORMALLY GET OUR
% INFORMATION FROM HYAS.
% IT IS ONE OF NINE NATIONAL
% AGENCIES THAT WORK TO DO REFUGEE
% RESETTLEMENTS, AND THEY
% TYPICALLY HEAR FROM THE OFFICE
% OF RESETTLE -- OF REFUGEES
% RESETTLEMENT, WHICH IS PART OF
% THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE, BUT
% WITH THE MILITARY ACTION THAT IS
% TAKING PLACE IN AFGHANISTAN, THE
% DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE IS NOW
% VERY HEAVILY INVOLVED, AND FROM
% MY UNDERSTANDING, EVEN AT THE
% FEDERAL LEVEL, THINGS ARE
% CHANGING SO QUICKLY, IT IS HARD
% FOR THE FEDS TO SEND OUT
% INFORMATION TO THE NATIONALS SO
% THAT THAT INFORMATION CAN
% TRICKLE DOWN TO US.
% >> AND SO DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHEN
% YOU'LL KNOW MORE?
% >> WE DO NOT.
% THE LATEST PIECE OF INFORMATION
% WE RECEIVED WAS YESTERDAY, AND
% IT WAS IN A STATEMENT FROM THE
% SECRETARY OF DEFENSE THAT SAID
% THAT THESE NEW PLACES LIKE FORT
% McCOY WILL BE STARTING TO
% RECEIVE REFUGEES IN SOMEWHERE
% BETWEEN 2 TO 4 WEEKS, AND SO I'M
% HOPING THAT BETWEEN NOW AND THEN
% WE WILL HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL
% INFORMATION, BUT I STRONGLY
% SUSPECT THAT THE PROCESSING HAS
% TO HAPPEN BEFORE ANYONE DECIDES
% WHO IS GOING WHERE.
% TYPICALLY, THERE'S A LONG
% SCREENING PROCESS THAT HAPPENS
% OVERSEAS, AND SOMEWHERE BETWEEN
% 6 TO 7 FEDERAL AGENCIES ARE
% INVOLVED IN SCREENING REFUGEES.
% THE PROCESS BECAUSE OF THIS
% CRISIS SITUATION, A LOT OF THAT
% WORK IS NOW GOING TO BE
% HAPPENING HERE IN THE UNITED
% STATES.
% AND SO WE DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW
% LONG PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE AT
% FORT McCOY BEFORE THEY ARE
% ALLOWED TO RESETTLE INTO THEIR
% NEW HOMES.
% >> AND SO BASED ON HOW QUICKLY
% THIS IS HAPPENING AND THE LARGE
% SCALE, HOW DIFFERENT IS THIS
% FROM ANY OTHER RESETTLEMENTS
% THAT YOUR AGENCY HAS HELPED
% WITH?%>> THIS IS VERY DIFFER
ENT
% BECAUSE WE EXPECT POTENTIALLY TO
% BE ASKED TO RESETTLE A LARGE
% NUMBER OF PEOPLE AT THE SAME
% TIME.
% WE GENERALLY ONLY RESETTLE
% HISTORICALLY ABOUT ONE FAMILY
% PER MONTH.
% WE ARE NOW TALKING ABOUT
% CONSIDERABLY MORE.
% WE MAY BE SEEING TWO OR THREE
% FAMILIES IN A WEEK.
% THAT WOULD BE A BIG CHANGE FOR
% US.%>> SO CAN YOU DESCRIBE J
UST THE
% RESETTLEMENT PROCESS?
% WHAT HAPPENS ONCE A PERSON OR
% FAMILY IS RESETTLED HERE, AND
% WHAT KIND OF FUNDING AND SUPPORT
% IS AVAILABLE FOR THE EFFORTS?
% >> SO WHEN A PERSON COMES TO THE
% UNITED STATES, WE ARE GIVEN, ON
% AVERAGE, ABOUT $1,000 PER PERSON
% TOTAL THAT CAN BE USED FOR THE
% EXPENSES OF THE FAMILY, AND SO
% OUR AGENCY DOES A LOT OF
% FUNDRAISING TO HELP WITH --
% BECAUSE THAT IS JUST NOT ENOUGH
% MONEY, AND OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS
% TO FIND AN APPROPRIATE PLACE TO
% LIVE.
% FOR US, IT NEEDS TO BE IN A BUS
% LINE, AND WE ARE REQUIRED TO
% FULLY FURNISH AND PROVIDE
% HOUSEHOLD GOODS FOR THE HOMES.
% WE ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A
% PANTRY AND A REFRIGERATOR FULL
% OF FOOD FOR ABOUT A WEEK, A
% CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE MEAL, AN
% THEN WE GO AND COLLECT THE
% INDIVIDUAL FAMILIES FROM THE
% AIRPORT, AND ONCE THEY COME INTO
% THEIR NEW HOME, THEN WE WORK
% WITH THEM, PARTICULARLY FOR THE
% FIRST THREE MONTHS, TO MAKE SURE
% THEY GO THROUGH THE MEDICAL
% SCREENINGS, HELP THEM GET THEIR
% SOCIAL SECURITY CARDS, AND
% ENROLL CHILDREN IN SCHOOLS, TO
% ENROLL PARENTS IN ESL, IF THEY
% NEED THAT TO HELP WITH
% EMPLOYMENT, AND SO ALL OF THE
% THINGS THAT THEY NEED SO THAT
% HOPEFULLY AS QUICKLY AS
% POSSIBLE, THEY WILL BE
% COMPLETELY SELF-SUFFICIENT.
% FAMILIES WHO ARRIVE ARE ELIGIBLE
% FOR BADGER CARE, WHICH IS
% WISCONSIN'S VERSION OF MEDICAID,
% AND THEY ARE ALSO, IF THEY HAVE
% CHILDREN, ARE ELIGIBLE FOR WU2,
% WHICH IS WISCONSIN'S VERSION FOR
% WHAT USED TO BE CALLED WELFARE.
% IF YOU DO NOT HAVE CHILDREN, YOU
% ARE ELIGIBLE FOR REFUGEE CASH
% ASSISTANCE FOR ABOUT EIGHT OR
% NINE MONTHS.
% YOU ARE AVAILABLE FOR FOOD SHARE
% WHEN YOU FIRST ARRIVE, AND WE
% CONTINUE TO WORK WITH FAMILIES
% FOR AS LONG AS THEY NEED OUR
% SUPPORT.
% >> SO IT IS A VERY INVOLVED
% PROCESS, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE
% CONSIDERING ADDING SO MANY MORE
% FAMILIES TO THE PROCESS.
% WAS THERE ANY WAY TO AVOID HOW
% KIND OF CHAOTIC AND HURRIED THIS
% IS CONSIDERING HOW MUCH IS
% INVOLVED FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION?
% >> I THINK THERE WOULD HAVE
% BEEN, BUT I THINK THAT THE WORK
% THAT IS NEEDED TO START SEVERAL
% MONTHS AGO ALREADY IN
% AFGHANISTAN.%AS SOON AS IT WA
S BECOMING CLEAR
% THERE WAS GOING TO BE A CRISIS,
% IT WOULD HAVE WITH BEEN VERY
% HELPFUL FOR PEOPLE TO START
% BEING ABLE TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY
% MUCH MORE QUICKLY THAN THEY WERE
% LEAVING BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH AN
% SIV COULD LEAVE THE COUNTRY WHEN
% THEY CHOSE TO, IF THEY DIDN'T
% HAVE THE MONEY TO BUY A PLANE
% TICKET, THEY HAD TO WAIT THEIR
% TURN TO BE PUT ON A LIST TO BE
% ALLOWED TO COME TO THE UNITED
% STATES.
% MOST PEOPLE COULDN'T AFFORD TO
% PAY FOR PLANE TICKETS FOR THEIR
% ENTIRE FAMILIES.
% >> GOVERNOR EVERS PUT OUT A
% STATEMENT SAYING, QUOTE, JUST AS
% THEY PROTECTED US IN SERVING OUR
% COUNTRY AND HELPED KEEP OUR
% TROOPS SAFE, WE OWE IT TO THEM
% TO PROTECT AND KEEP THEM SAFE.
% IS THERE ANYTHING PREVENTING
% THESE REFUGEES FROM SEEKING
% SANCTUARY IN THE UNITED STATES?
% >> THE BIGGEST THING I BELIEVE
% IS PHYSICALLY GETTING FROM
% AFGHANISTAN TO THE UNITED
% STATES.
% THERE ARE NO MORE COMMERCIAL
% FLIGHTS.
% IT IS REALLY GOING TO BE UP TO
% OUR GOVERNMENT TO FIGURE OUT A
% WAY TO GET PEOPLE SAFELY FROM
% AFGHANISTAN TO THE U.S.
% THAT REALLY IS IMPORTANT THAT WE
% FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT
% BECAUSE SIVs AND THEIR
% FAMILIES ARE NOT SAFE IN
% AFGHANISTAN RIGHT NOW.
% THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE
% AS WELL WHO ARE NOT SAFE, BUT AT
% LEAST THIS IS A START FOR US TO
% BE ABLE TO GIVE BACK TO PEOPLE
% IN AFGHANISTAN.
% SO, FOR EXAMPLE, A JOURNALIST
% WHO HAS ALL ALONG BE REPORTING
% THE NEWS, WHICH IS A VERY
% IMPORTANT THING BOTH FOR THE
% AFGHANI PEOPLE AND PEOPLE HERE
% IN THE UNITED STATES, THEY WOULD
% NOT MEET THE CRITERIA OF BEING
% AN SIV, AND THEY ARE STILL GOING
% TO BE IN DANGER.
% >> SO IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE
% VERY CONCERNED ABOUT ANYONE WHO
% MUST REMAIN UNDER THE TALIBAN
% RULE AND IN AFGHANISTAN.
% ARE YOU FEELING CONCERNED ABOUT
% PEOPLE THAT ARE UNABLE TO BE
% HELPED BY THE UNITED STATES?
% >> I FEEL HORRIBLE ABOUT THAT,
% AND RIGHT NOW, IT IS JUST GOT
% THAT MUCH MORE COMPLICATED
% BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT, WE HAVE
% THE EARTHQUAKE IN HAITI, AND
% THERE'S JUST SO MANY THINGS, AND
% PEOPLE AND PEOPLE, HOW WE CAN
% FOCUS OUR EFFORT AS THERE ARE SO
% MANY DIFFICULTIES GOING ON, AND
% IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO AT
% LEAST FOCUS ON WHAT WE DO AND
% WHAT WE DO WELL AND CONTINUE TO
% MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO
% THAT.
% >> NOW, YOU'VE ALREADY RESETTLED
% SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE FAMILY
% MEMBERS OF S IVs, AND YOU HAD
% A LITTLE TIME TO DO THAT, BUT
% YOU SAID YOUR ORGANIZATION IS
% SMALL AND IS ALREADY OVERWHELMED
% WITH PEOPLE CALLING WANTING TO
% VOLUNTEER.
% WHAT COULD THEY DO INSTEAD IF
% VOLUNTEERING IS NOT AN OPTION?
% >> WELL, RIGHT NOW, THE BEST
% THING YOU CAN DO FOR THE PEOPLE
% WE ARE GOING TO BE RESETTLING IS
% TO DONATE MONEY TO OUR
% ORGANIZATION.
% THAT, IN TURN, GIVES US
% STABILITY.
% WHILE WE DO RECEIVE FOR THE
% FAMILIES THAT'S $1,000 PER
% PERSON, ONE OF THE THINGS OUR
% AGENCY DOES IS WE FUNDRAISE SO
% THAT WE CAN COVER FOUR MONTHS OF
% RENT AND SECURITY DEPOSITS FOR
% EVERY FAMILY WE RESETTLE, AND WE
% GET A CELL PHONE WITH A DATA
% PLAN FOR SIX MONTHS FOR EVERY
% FAMILY WE RESETTLE.
% WE DO NOT RECEIVE ANY GOVERNMENT
% FUNDS FOR THOSE KINDS OF THINGS
% AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF OTHERS,
% AND SO RECEIVING DONATIONS,
% FINANCIAL DONATIONS, REALLY
% MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO
% SUPPORT, REALLY SUPPORT FOLKS
% THAT ARE COMING TO THE UNITED
% STATES IN A WAY THAT WILL MAKE
% IT LONG-TERM EASIER FOR THEM TO
% BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT.
% >> SOME ARE COMPARING THE
% TALIBAN SEIZE OF POWER TO THE
% FALL OF SAIGON, AND WE HAVE NOT
% SEEN THIS SCALE OF IMMIGRANT
% REFUGE COMING TO WISCONSIN'S
% FORT McCOY SINCE 1980, AS YOU
% SAID.
% HOW UNIQUE IS THIS MOMENT IN
% HISTORY RIGHT NOW?
% >> THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN.
% I WOULD -- I MEAN, AS YOU SAID,
% THE FALL OF SAIGON, 1980 WITH
% THE CUBANS, BUT BECAUSE WE DO
% HAVE QUOTAS ON WHO CAN COME AND
% WHEN THEY CAN COME, I --
% CERTAINLY, NOT IN MY LIFETIME
% HAS THERE EVER BEEN ANYTHING
% LIKE THIS HAPPENING WHERE WE ARE
% JUST TRYING TO BRING IN SO MANY
% PEOPLE IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF
% TIME, AND WE NEED TO DO RIGHT BY
% THEM.
% IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO JUST BRING
% THEM TO THE COUNTRY.
% WE NEED TO PROVIDE ENOUGH
% SUPPORT THAT THEY CAN TAKE CARE
% OF THEMSELVES AND THAT THEY CAN
% DO IT IN A WAY THAT GIVES THEM A
% GOOD QUALITY OF LIFE.
% >> ALL RIGHT.
% WE LEAVE IT THERE.
% DAWN BERNEY OF YOU JEWISH SOCIAL
% SERVICES, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
% JOINING US TODAY.
% >> THANK YOU.
% >> FOR MORE FROM "HERE & NOW"
% AND PBS WISCONSIN, YOU CAN VISIT
% PBSWISCONSIN.ORG, AND THANK YOU%
SO MUCH FOR JOINING US ON "NOON
% WEDNESDAY."