(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Chicago’s largest refugee resettlement agency, Refugee One, is trying to help families here who have been affected -- in some cases, torn apart -- by the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan.
Refugee One had planned to send as many as 10 staff members to Fort Lee, Va., where they were going to process Afghans who were coming in with special immigrant visas.
These are the Afghans who had been working for the U.S. in Afghanistan as translators, clerks and drivers.
Over the weekend, things deteriorated and evacuations were halted.
Jims Porter, spokesman for Refugee One, on Monday said even American citizens are affected by all of the turmoil.
He cites the case of a Chicago area man who came here years ago from Afghanistan. His brother was killed by the Taliban.
“And actually, to make matters worse, this man’s family was actually in Afghanistan visiting when the situation started to devolve. So, they’re now uncertain about how they’ll be able to get back to the U.S.,” Porter said.
Refugee One is trying to make contact with U.S. officials at the Kabul airport to try to help that Chicago area family.
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