Arizona’s welcome for Afghan refugees is inspiring. But what about asylum seekers?
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The Taliban rose from the rubble of the failed Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, which ended in 1989, and returned to power last month as a chaotic withdrawal ended America’s longest war. A second wave of Afghans is now arriving in the United States, including many of the civilians who risked their lives to help our troops.
Eighteen of those Afghans landed early this month in Arizona, a state that ranks among the nation’s top refugee recipients. That’s a curious distinction. After all, Arizona is where a sheriff racially targeted Latinos for years with impunity; the police force in its capital, Phoenix, is under federal investigation for discrimination; and conservative legislators drive the political agenda.
Recently, Gov. Doug Ducey (R) issued a statement affirming Arizona’s commitment to sheltering Afghans who “helped our fight to defeat terrorist organizations and defend human rights.”
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