>> THE EMERGENCY EVACUATION IN
AFGHANISTAN LAST AUGUST
AIRLIFTED MORE THAN 120,000
PEOPLE.
13,000 CAME TO FORT MCCOY NEAR
TOMAH.
AND NOW HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES ARE
SETTLING IN, CALLING WISCONSIN
THEIR NEW PERMANENT HOME.
BUT THERE IS STILL AN UPHILL
CLIMB TO FIND HOUSING, NAVIGATE
THE IMMIGRATION SYSTEM, AND SORT
THROUGH THE TRAUMA OF LEAVING
THEIR HOME TO THE HANDS OF THE
TALIBAN.
MARISA WOJCIK REPORTS.
>> IT'S JUST LIKE COMPLETELY
SHOCKING.
IT'S JUST LIKE, OH, MY GOD, I
WAS NEVER EXPECTING THIS, AND IT
JUST HAPPENED ALL OF THE SUDDEN.
>> WHEN I SAW THE NEWS, I'M SO
UPSET, I AM SO SAD.
>> PEOPLE SAW CHAOS AND IT WAS
AWFUL, THE WAY THAT THE UNITED
STATES HAD TO LEAVE.
>> EVERYBODY JUST TRIED TO
ESCAPE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO
SURVIVE.
>> BASICALLY THE TALIBAN HAD
OVERRUN THE CITY AND THE
AIRPORT.
TO ME, IT WAS LIKE KABUL FELL.
>> IMAGES OF CROWDS OF PEOPLE
OUTSIDE THE KABUL AIRPORT,
WAITING ON TARMACS, AND BEING
PACKED INTO MILITARY PLANES
SATURATED SCREENS AROUND THE
WORLD AS THE UNITED STATES
FRANTICALLY EVACUATED PEOPLE OUT
OF AFGHANISTAN IN AUGUST OF 2021
AND THE TALIBAN SEIZED POWER.
>> EVERYONE WHO DOESN'T THINK
LIKE THEM IS AN ENEMY TO
TALIBAN.
AND YOU CAN GET KILLED FOR THE
BASIC REASON AS BEING -- AS
LIVING IN KABUL.
>> SHER KHAN, A JOURNALIST, WAS
EVACUATED FROM KABUL WITH HIS
WIFE AND CHILDREN LAST YEAR AND
THEY REACHED FORT MCCOY IN
SEPTEMBER.
NOW, WITH THE TALIBAN IN POWER,
MANY HAVE LOST HOPE FOR THOSE
THEY LEFT BEHIND IN AFGHANISTAN.
>> I WAS HOPING THAT I GET
GRADUATED AND THEN GO BACK HOME
SO I COULD SURPRISE MY FAMILY.
BUT THAT NEVER HAPPENED.
>> THIS IS JOHNNY.
HE CAME TO THE UNITED STATES IN
2014 ON A SPECIAL IMMIGRANT
VISA, OR SIV, FOR WORK HE DID TO
HELP THE UNITED STATES MILITARY.
>> I WAS RECEIVING THREAT, YOU
KNOW, LIKE TEXT MESSAGES AND
THEN PHONE CALLS WHILE I WAS
WORKING WITH THE U.S. MARINES.
I DECIDED NOT TO STICK AROUND
ANYMORE AND JUST MOVE TO THE
U.S.
>> HIS IDENTITY IS BEING
PROTECTED BECAUSE HE FEARS HIS
FAMILY IS STILL IN AFGHANISTAN
WILL BE TARGETED.
HIS FAMILY TRIED BUT THEY WERE
UNABLE TO MAKE IT INTO THE KABUL
AIRPORT.
>> THE DAY THE EXPLOSION
HAPPENED, THEY LEFT 30 MINUTES
BEFORE, CAN YOU IMAGINE THEY'RE
THERE, LIKE, YOU COULD HAVE LOST
THE ENTIRE FAMILY.
>> FOR MANY FAMILIES, IT'S A
SIMILAR STORY.
>> I AM CONCERNED ABOUT MY TWO
BROTHERS.
THEY WORKED WITH THE MILITARY.
>> KHALID CAME TO WISCONSIN IN
2017, AFTER RECEIVING THREATS
FOR HIS WORK WITH THE U.S.
TWO OF HIS BROTHERS ARE
CURRENTLY BEING TARGETED BY THE
TALIBAN.
THEY, TOO, WERE UNSUCCESSFUL
GETTING IN TO THE KABUL AIRPORT.
>> THEY PUNISH THEM, GO AWAY
FROM AIRPORT.
THEY HIT HIM BY THE GUN AND THEY
BROKEN HIS ARM.
>> NOW, HIS BROTHERS HAVE FLED
CENTRAL KABUL FOR SAFETY, ONLY
VISITING THEIR FAMILIES UNDER
THE COVER OF DARKNESS.
>> NEIGHBORS ARE BEING
THREATENED BY THE TALIBAN
BECAUSE THEY LIVED NEXT DOOR TO
SOMEONE THAT IS KNOWN TO HAVE
WORKED FOR THE U.S. OR A U.S.
COMPANY.
JUST PROXIMITY COULD PUT YOU IN
DANGER.
>> THE NEW GENERATION, THEY HOPE
FOR THE FUTURE, BUT NOW THEY
DON'T HAVE HOPE FOR THE FUTURE.
>> THERE IS NO HOPE OF FUTURE
FOR THE PEOPLE.
IF I LET -- FOR EXAMPLE, EVEN IF
TALIBAN DIDN'T KILL ME, IF, FOR
EXAMPLE, MY CHILDREN WOULD NOT
GET THE CHANCE TO GET EDUCATION.
AND I DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT.
I WOULD HAVE DONE EVERYTHING I
COULD TO PROVIDE MY CHILDREN TO
GET THEIR EDUCATION BECAUSE I
DON'T WANT MY CHILDREN TO BE
EXTREMISTS.
I DON'T WANT MY CHILDREN TO BE
FUNDAMENTALISTS.
I WANT MY CHILDREN TO DO
SOMETHING TO MAKE A POSITIVE
DIFFERENCE IN OTHER PEOPLE'S
LIFE.
THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO
DO.
>> IN TERMS OF MONEY, IN TERMS
OF JOBS, IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW,
THE ECONOMY, IN TERMS OF, YOU
KNOW, HOW PEOPLE ARE, YOU KNOW,
ESCAPING THE COUNTRY AND THERE'S
NO EDUCATION, IT'S JUST LIKE SO
MANY DIFFERENT THINGS.
>> WITH KABUL'S AIRPORT SHUT
DOWN, THE ONLY WAY OUT FOR
JOHNNY'S FAMILY IS TO FLEE TO A
NEIGHBORING COUNTRY.
A JOURNEY HIS YOUNG SISTERS
CANNOT WEATHER.
>> THOSE LITTLE GIRLS WON'T BE
ABLE TO WALK FOR 20 AND 25 DAYS
IN A ROW.
THAT'S JUST IMPOSSIBLE TO JUST
GET TO ANOTHER COUNTRY.
BECAUSE THERE'S NO FLIGHTS,
THERE'S NO TRANSPORTATION, AND
THEY DON'T HAVE THE
DOCUMENTATION.
I AM REALLY HOPING THAT SOMEONE
WILL SEE AND HEAR MY VOICE AND
DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW,
LIKE WE WERE PROMISED THAT WE
WILL BE SAVED AND OUR FAMILY
WILL BE SAVED.
>> HONESTLY, WHEN WE'RE AT FORT
MCCOY TALKING WITH PEOPLE ABOUT
THEIR OWN ASYLUM CASE, THEIR OWN
SIV OR WAY TO STAY IN THE U.S.,
THEY ALMOST ALWAYS START OUT
WITH THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO
ME IS WHAT CAN I DO FOR MY
FAMILY OR MY FRIENDS OR MY
COLLEAGUES WHO ARE STILL IN
AFGHANISTAN, AND THEY'RE DEATHLY
AFRAID, FOR GOOD REASON, WHAT
COULD HAPPEN TO THEM.
>> GRANT SOVERN IS AN
IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY IN MADISON.
>> SO WHAT WE REALIZED ABOUT TWO
MONTHS INTO EVERYBODY BEING HERE
IS, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
APPLY FOR ASYLUM LIKE EVERYBODY
ELSE DOES WHO IS AFRAID TO GO
BACK HOME.
>> WHILE MANY PEOPLE QUALIFIED
FOR SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISAS, AT
LEAST HALF WERE DESIGNATED WITH
SOMETHING CALLED PAROLE STATUS.
SOVERN HELPED WITH LEGAL
ORIENTATION EFFORTS AT FO FORT
MCCOY, RUNNING CLINICS TO HELP
PEOPLE START TO THINK ABOUT THE
ASYLUM APPLICATION PROCESS.
>> WE ALL ASSUME YOU CAN GET
ASYLUM BECAUSE YOUR COUNTRY IS
FALLING APART, AND THAT IS NOT
WHAT ASYLUM IS ABOUT.
YOU HAVE TO SHOW THAT YOU WILL
BE -- YOU SPECIFICALLY WILL BE
SINGLED OUT BECAUSE OF ONE OF
THESE GROUNDS.
SO IT'S A LONG PROCESS.
>> FOR SOVERN, WHO'S BEEN DOING
PRO BONO IMMIGRATION WORK FOR
YEARS, THERE'S BEEN A LACK OF
LEGAL RESOURCES LONG BEFORE
THIS.
>> BUT THIS IS CERTAINLY THE
MOST ACUTE AND THE LARGEST
NUMBER OF PROBLEMS FOR THE
RESOURCES THAT WE ALREADY DON'T
HAVE.
AND A TIMELINE THAT HAS TO BE
ACHIEVED OTHERWISE, WE COULD BE
SENDING PEOPLE BACK TO
AFGHANISTAN.
>> HE SAYS ANYONE WITH THIS
PAROLE STATUS HAS ONE YEAR UPON
ENTERING THE UNITED STATES TO
FILE THEIR APPLICATION AND TWO
YEARS TO BE APPROVED.
BUT THEY NEED A PERMANENT
ADDRESS FIRST.
>> RIGHT NOW, WE ARE JUST ALL
SCRAMBLING WITH THE SURGE.
WE CAN'T EVEN DO ANYTHING ELSE.
>> MARY FLYNN IS A PROGRAM
MANAGER FOR LUTHERAN SOCIAL
SERVICES REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT,
HANDLING CASES IN THE MILWAUKEE
AREA.
AGENCIES HELP WITH A LONG LIST
OF ITEMS, BUT MOST IMPORTANT AND
DESPERATELY NEEDED IS AFFORDABLE
HOUSING.
>> THE INCREASE IN PRICES ARE
MAKING IT MORE DIFFICULT BECAUSE
WE ALWAYS WANT TO HAVE THEM BE
SELF-SUFFICIENT.
THE DIGNITY AND RESPECT OF
LEARNING LIFE IN AMERICA AND
DOING WELL.
WE WANT THEM TO DO WELL.
>> JOHNNY SAYS WISCONSIN IS A
GOOD PLACE FOR REFUGEES TO
RESETTLE.
>> I LOVE CHEESE, AND I'M
TURNING TO SOMETHING MORE LIKE A
WISCONSIN PERSON.
I REALLY DON'T LIKE THE COLD,
BUT BESIDE THAT, I LOVE
WISCONSIN.
>> NOW, JOHNNY AND KHALID ARE
HELPING OUT AS TRANSLATORS FOR
NEWLY ARRIVED FAMILIES.
>> I'M NOT DONE WITH SERVING,
AND I REALLY WANT TO BE
SOMEWHERE SO I CAN BE PROUD OF
MY FAMILY AND BOTH OF MY
COUNTRIES.
>> I HELP AS A VOLUNTEER BECAUSE
OUR AFGHAN CULTURE.
WHEN YOU ARE AN AFGHAN
SOMEWHERE, THEY WILL NEED HELP,
YOU HAVE TO HELP.
>> AS LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS WORK
TO RESETTLE MORE AND MORE
PEOPLE, THEY'RE HOPING
COMMUNITIES WILL STEP UP AND
HELP WITH RESOURCES.
>> I THINK IT'S A REAL
OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF US TO
PRACTICE THE WELCOME THAT REALLY
IS WISCONSIN.
BUT THE WELCOME ALSO INCLUDES,
YOU KNOW, PROVIDING A SAFE
COMMUNITY WHERE THEY CAN LIVE,
AND RIGHT NOW, IT MEANS FINDING
OTHER WAYS TO HELP THEIR LOCAL
REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT AGENCIES
ARE NEEDING PLACES FOR THEM TO
STAY, ARE NEEDING CLOTHING AND
KITCHEN SUPPLIES AND SCHOOL
SUPPLIES FOR KIDS WHEN THEY'LL
GO TO SCHOOL.
BUT THEY ALSO NEED LEGAL
SUPPORT.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, I WOULD
COUNT THEM AS LUCKY IF THEY
INNED UP IN WISCONSIN BECAUSE I
THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE
WHO BELIEVE IN THAT KIND OF
THING, AND I THINK PEOPLE WILL
STEP UP AND HELP.
>> I THINK THAT WE ALWAYS HAVE
TO REMEMBER THAT THIS COULD BE
US.
AND WHEN YOU THINK OF IT THAT
WAY, YOU SEE THE IMPORTANCE OF
BEING KIND AND COMPASSIONATE AND
MAKING THEM FEEL WELCOME LIKE
YOU'D LIKE TO BE.
>> BRINGING THIS AMOUNT OF
PEOPLE FROM ONE SIDE OF THE
WORLD TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE
WORLD AND GIVING THEM ALL THE
THINGS THEY NEED, THAT IS JUST
BEYOND MY IMAGINATION.
I CAN'T EVEN LIKE, I MEAN,
SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE I'M DRE
DREAMING.
WHATEVER WE RECEIVE HERE, WE ARE
THANKFUL FOR.
>> REPORTING FOR "HERE AND NOW,"
I'M MARISA WOJCIK.
>> JOURNALIST SHARE HAHN AND HIS
WIFE AND CHILDREN ARE BEING
RESETTLED IN MASSACHUSETTS AND
HE HOPES TO SOON GET BACK TO HIS