States
Arkansas
Organizations in Arkansas are preparing to receive Afghan refugees into Arkansas who have supported our men and women in uniform for nearly 20 years. We have a responsibility to these heroes and their families. We want to do our part to help America remain that shining city on a hill.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R)
California
I'm proud of the fact that over the last decade California has taken in more refugees than any other state in America, and I'm proud of the fact a disproportionate number of Afghan refugees are here in California. We stand ready to assist those in need. As the nation’s most diverse state, we don’t simply tolerate diversity, we celebrate it.
Gov Gavin Newsom (D)
Colorado
In Colorado, our state and local communities are proud partners in global humanitarian and refugee resettlement efforts, and Colorado has long partnered with the federal government to play our part. Our veteran community knows the value of the role these Afghans played overseas, and our greater Colorado community shares with you American values of humanitarianism and compassion. Colorado stands ready to receive Afghan refugees.
Gov Jared Polis (D)
Maryland
Helping our Afghan allies build new lives is not a Republican issue or a Democratic issue--it's just common sense. Alongside so many partners who are equally dedicated to this effort, we are directing all available resources to help because it’s the right thing for all of us to do.
Gov Larry Hogan (R)
Connecticut
It is a bedrock principle of the United States of America to welcome to our shores those fleeing tyranny, persecution and violence. Now, amidst great uncertainty and challenge in Afghanistan, we are being called to uphold that principle. Connecticut has a legacy of being there for those in need, and we are proud to answer the call and honor our longstanding commitment to welcoming refugees by welcoming and supporting Afghan evacuees. In partnership with Welcome.Us, local resettlement agencies and many community-based organizations, we are ready to provide a safe haven and hope for tomorrow to all who are resettled in communities across our state.
Gov Ned Lamont (D)
Indiana
Indiana is a willing partner to help Afghan refugees who have put their lives on the line in support of the United States for the past 20 years. We owe this to them, and there’s no better way to help than to offer aid to those who aided and protected us.
Gov. Eric J. Holcomb (R)
Cities
Albany, NY
Albany has had the privilege of welcoming immigrants and refugees from Afghanistan to our community for many years. They work in our hospitals, schools and manufacturing facilities. They strengthen our neighborhoods and start small businesses. We are eager to provide our Afghan allies with the support, stability and opportunity they need as they seek to rebuild their lives here.
Mayor Kathy Sheehan
Albuquerque, NM
Albuquerque’s strength has always been its diversity and we are ready to welcome refugees today, as we have many times before. Afghans are fleeing a home country they are no longer safe in, and the weeks and months ahead of them will no doubt be filled with uncertainty. But together we can make certain that refugees, thousands of whom risked their lives to support our American service members, will find safe, welcoming homes in our cities and towns and the support they need to build new lives.
Mayor Tim Keller
Austin, TX
Austin is here, with open arms, to receive Afghan refugees and provide support, services, and safety to those starting a new chapter in this city. We are a community that supports one another, and service organizations have already been flooded with offers of groceries, gift cards, and furniture. The Welcome.US project provides another resource for Austinites to support Afghan refugees and welcome our new neighbors.
Mayor Steve Adler
Boise, ID
The City of Boise has a longstanding history of welcoming refugees from all over the world. In 2017, we passed a Welcoming City resolution which recognizes that foreign-born Boise residents are a vital part of our community, bringing fresh perspectives and new ideas, starting businesses, and contributing to the vibrant, diverse community we all value. I remain committed to welcoming those seeking refuge, and firmly believe that individuals and families fleeing Afghanistan should be permitted safe passage so that they can be resettled. We stand ready to provide support to Afghan community members who already reside in Boise, their families, and those who have fled and will flee Kabul in the coming weeks; as well as the Neighbors United network and refugee resettlement agencies providing direct support and resources to new arrivals.
Mayor Lauren McLean
Boston, MA
Boston is a City of immigrants and has a long-standing commitment to welcome those who need help. Immigrants make great contributions to our City and add to its cultural diversity. As Mayor of Boston, we welcome those fleeing Afghanistan and are ready to help our new neighbors build lives for themselves in our communities.
Mayor Kim Janey
Charleston, SC
I know I speak on behalf of our citizens here in Charleston when I say, we’re honored to stand with the brave Afghan men and women who risked their lives to stand with America during our longest war. We welcome these friends with open arms, and seek to offer them a place of safety and fellowship as they set out to build new lives in a new land.
Mayor John Tecklenburg
Chicago, IL
I join mayors representing cities across the globe declaring a commitment to welcome Afghan refugees and other evacuees into our communities. I am urging the federal government to expand pathways to humanitarian support to ensure all who seek freedom and safety are able to do so. They have given up their homes, their families, their lives as they know them for a chance to survive. The journey they have experienced is one very few of us can comprehend. But as they enter the U.S., and eventually settle into a new life in the States, some will make their way to Chicago. I want to state unequivocally that in this great city, we welcome refugees. We know that they, like those before them, will re-build their lives here, they will strengthen community, they will be able to raise their children here all the while adding to Chicago’s vibrant story
Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot
Cleveland, OH
The City of Cleveland has welcomed immigrants and refugees for centuries. Today is no exception. Cleveland was one of just nineteen cities identified by the U.S. State Department for Afghan refugee resettlement, thanks to our already diverse city and welcoming community. We are home to over 120 cultural and ethnic communities, including both the Afghan and the Ukrainian community. We stand ready to accept refugees fleeing war in Ukraine today. All are welcome to call our land “home.”
Mayor Justin Bibb
Columbia, SC
The compassionate people of our City of Columbia are ready to extend open arms to welcome the Afghan refugees, who have shown their love for America through their heroic efforts supporting our armed forces and the many American civilians who served during the Afghanistan conflict. As they have undertaken a courageous effort to reach our shores, I am honored to join the coalition of US mayors as well as resettlement agencies, members of our faith communities, human and civil rights organizations, veterans and local businesses to form the big tent community they can now think of as their home.
Mayor Steve Benjamin
Columbus, OH
Columbus is a smart, open and welcoming city, with a growing population of immigrants and refugees from around the globe. We welcome the settlement of Afghan refugees who have given up so much just for the safety and security of their families. We will help them rebuild their lives and become part of the vibrant and diverse fabric of our great city.
Mayor Andrew Ginther
Dallas, TX
Dallas has long served as a welcoming city for people seeking refuge from all over the world, and we are proud to be designated as the first certified Welcoming City in Texas. Our city is diverse, vibrant, and community-oriented. Our nonprofits, businesses, faith-based organizations, education institutions and volunteers helped us welcome approximately 400 Afghan refugees in the last year. And as this international crisis unfolds and Afghans seek refuge, Dallas will continue to serve as a beacon to those seeking new opportunities and new lives. We strongly encourage other cities, states, and nations to do the same.
Mayor Eric Johnson
Dayton, OH
In Dayton, we pride ourselves on being a Welcoming City, and we stand ready to welcome Afghans into our community. We have always found that Dayton is made better by newcomers from around the globe, and look forward to the contributions of all of our new neighbors.
Mayor Nan Whaley
Denver, CO
Denver will continue to be a welcoming city for refugees and stands ready to assist local and national efforts to resettle the men and women who served as our allies in Afghanistan. These men, women, and children have fled their homes, extended family, friends, and communities with the hope of building a new life safe from violence and persecution. Denver will proudly welcome them into the fabric of our diverse city.
Mayor Michael B. Hancock
Fremont, CA
Our city of Fremont, CA is a compassionate city and home to one of the largest Afghan communities in the Bay Area (United States). Fremont’s community has a strong track record of coming together in times of need and our city has previously welcomed refugees to our community. The City of Fremont has organized a local fundraising campaign and we stand again at the ready to assist in collaboration with our neighboring Bay Area cities in resettling Afghan refugee families.
Mayor Lily Mei
Hartford, CT
Our armed forces did heroic work rescuing tens of thousands of our Afghan allies, and as a country our mission now turns to welcoming them and helping them begin new lives — for their benefit, and for ours. Hartford has a long and proud history of welcoming refugees, but I’m proud to join Democrats and Republicans from across the country to say that America is ready and eager to welcome Afghan allies who worked side by side with our troops and diplomats. These Afghans risked their lives to work on behalf of our country, and in some cases their work saved the lives of Americans in uniform. Hartford, Connecticut, and communities across America will be stronger and more prosperous when we welcome them as our own.
Mayor Luke Bronin
Houston, TX
Throughout Houston’s history, we’ve always stepped up to welcome refugees from across the globe. Since the 1970’s families displaced due to war, including our Afghan Allies call Houston home. Houston will continue to embrace these families as our own. That’s just who Houston is.
Mayor Sylvester Turner
Indianapolis, IN
Indianapolis is ready to welcome Afghan refugees into our neighborhoods, joining partners at the local, state, and national level in expressing our support for those who now call the United States home. Throughout our history, Indianapolis has received immigrants from across the world, and we hope to similarly offer a place of comfort, freedom, and opportunity to the Afghans who have done so much to aid Americans over the past two decades.
Mayor Joe Hogsett
Kansas City, MO
Kansas City is a community that cares about people and would proudly accept refugees from Afghanistan who have served bravely by our side over the past generation. We stand ready to help our allies who helped us so much over the 20 years of the conflict in Afghanistan, and all who need a new place to call home
Mayor Quinton Lucas
Lincoln, NE
Lincoln has a long tradition of welcoming refugees into the fabric of our community. We value the richness they bring to our economic, cultural, and daily life. Our refugee neighbors provide valuable skills to Lincoln’s workforce, enhance our city’s vibrant culture, and teach us all how to be citizens of the world. For these reasons and more, we stand ready to assist Afghan refugees who seek a safe home in Lincoln.
Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird
