Gov. Newsom Seeks $16.7M In Aid For Afghan Refugees

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP/CBS13) — Gov. Gavin Newsom and California legislative leaders connected Friday requested $16.7 cardinal successful authorities wealth to assistance resettle Afghan refugees successful the state.

The petition to usage wide money wealth to assistance those fleeing the Taliban takeover signals “that California stands acceptable to assistance those successful need,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said successful a statement. “As the nation’s astir divers state, we don’t simply tolerate diversity, we observe it.”

READ MORE: 'A Punch In The Gut': Tourists Told To Stay Out Of Tahoe Amid Fire Concerns

CA has been & ever volition beryllium a spot of refuge for those seeking information oregon a amended life. We are taking broad enactment & requesting $16.7M successful wide funds, which volition beryllium utilized to supply assistance & different services for recently arriving Afghans successful CA.https://t.co/qUPGtrhdsl

— Office of the Governor of California (@CAgovernor) September 4, 2021

The backing petition by Newsom, Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon was expected to beryllium considered during adjacent week’s legislative session.

READ MORE: Sacramento Convention Center Welcomes Back Crowds For SacAnime

With enactment from leaders of some houses, the petition is improbable to look superior absorption successful the Democrat-controlled Legislature.

The wealth would supply currency assistance and different assistance for refugees who don’t suffice for definite national exile benefits and nationalist assistance programs due to the fact that they don’t clasp peculiar visas but are being admitted into the United States connected humanitarian grounds, Newsom said.

Some arriving refugees are perchance eligible for Medi-Cal and state-funded assistance but lone those arriving with children are eligible for CalWORKs, the state-funded nationalist assistance program.

Newsom is proposing to temporarily grow the Trafficking and Crime Victim Assistance Program to screen those assistance gaps, helium said.

MORE NEWS: Looking For Looters: Police Patrols Make Arrests In South Lake Tahoe Evacuation Zone

“These refugees gave our work members assistance successful Afghanistan and it is lone fitting we springiness them anticipation erstwhile they travel to California,” said Atkins, a Democrat. “When I was increasing up, the aureate regularisation was that nary substance however small you had, you assistance those successful need. We are blessed to beryllium successful a presumption successful California wherever we person capable backing to assistance easiness these refugees’ modulation into our society.”