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About 1,000 troops are working to build the capacity of Fort McCoy in anticipation of more refugees, the statement said.
“We look forward to the opportunity to treat our temporary guests with the utmost respect and Wisconsin hospitality as they begin their special immigrant visa process,” the statement said.
#FortMcCoy, Wisc, is preparing to temporarily house vulnerable Afghans as part of @DeptofDefense support to @StateDept on mission to provide temporary accommodation in support of # OperationAlliesRefuge.@USArmyReserve @The American army @ 88RDBlueDevils @ 181MFTB pic.twitter.com/xOZ1JDAALO
– Fort McCoy (@USAGMcCoy) August 22, 2021
In addition to Fort McCoy and Fort Lee, Fort Bliss in Texas is being used as a third staging area in what has been dubbed Operation Allies Refuge as the United States continues to evacuate people from Afghanistan.
In an address Sunday, President Joe Biden said the US airlift has so far evacuated 28,000 people, including 11,000 over a 36-hour period this weekend.
Last week, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said he did not know the details of the number of refugees who could be accommodated at Fort McCoy, but said he had heard the number could number in the hundreds. , and maybe “up to 2000”.
Evers said there would also be screening to ensure those coming to the United States have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
“We have had this discussion a number of times and we have been assured over and over again that if people hadn’t been vaccinated they would be when they got here,” Evers said. “The people of Wisconsin are very welcoming, and these Afghan refugees will be people who have served with our soldiers side by side and done their fair share, and we want to make sure we do everything we can to thank them for that. “
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz also wrote a letter to President Biden expressing his commitment to welcome Afghan refugees.
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