DOES MY LIGHTING LOOK OKAY?
I ADDED A FILL LIGHT RIGHT HERE
TO JUST FILTER AND ADD A RING
LIGHT SO I'M NOT GETTING THAT
REFLECTION IN MY GLASSES.
>>> 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.
DAWNDAWN BERNEY EXPLAINS HOW LOCAL
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 DIFFERENT
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 JUST 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 WAS 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."