Iowa working on program to take refugees from Afghanistan
U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, left, and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds speak with reporters on Iowa's plans for taking refugees from Afghanistan during a visit to the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021. [AP Photo/David Pitt]
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said Iowa would welcome refugees from Afghanistan who want to resettle in Iowa saying their situation is much different from the immigrants coming across the U.S.-Mexico border Reynolds refused to accept in April.
Reynolds and U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst discussed the plans to take refugees while attending the Iowa State Fair on Wednesday.
They said they are working with the U.S. Department of State. In April Reynolds said she refused a federal request to accept migrant children from the U.S./Mexico border into the state saying Iowa doesn’t have facilities to house them.
Reynold says this situation is different because those coming from Afghanistan will have special visas and properly documented.