PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Seven more flights carrying evacuees from Afghanistan were expected to arrive at Philadelphia International Airport on Tuesday, after nine flights on Monday brought 1,500 more evacuees.
Intake teams have processed at least 2,300 evacuees at the airport before they moved on to other locations, mostly Fort Dix. Mayor Jim Kenney said he hopes some will return to the city.
"We anticipate that some evacuess will choose to make our city and region their new home," said Kenney.
"The Department of State is leading resettlement and lodging, but we welcome all new residents and are committed to helping them get the resources they need to thrive in our neighbohroods and in our schools."
The resettlement agency HIAS Pennsylvania is partnering with AirBnB’s charitable arm to locally find housing. Both HIAS and the city has web pages devoted to ways people can help.
Links for ways to help:
- HIAS
- City of Philadelphia: How you can help Afghan refugees arriving in the city
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Kenney says the response since operations started on Saturday has been gratifying. The airport has been able to offer translators in four languages and provide Afghan food and gifts for the children.
"Thank you very much for showing evacuees what it means to touch down in the City of Brotherly Love," he said.
"We are proud to have the opportunity to aid in this humanitarian effort. We greatly appreciate the leadership resources provided by our partners, and I’m also moved by the support Philadelphians have offered since we announced the operation last week."
Operations are expected to continue through mid-September, as evacuees continue to arrive from transition points in Europe and the Middle East. Federal officials say it may take a couple of weeks to get evacuees on planes to the U.S.
Chicago was expected to join Philadelphia and Dulles in processing the evacuees, but Kenney said he hopes some will decided to settle in our area. He says he admires their strength and resilience.
"Put it this way," he joked, "people coming off the Afghan flights complain a lot less than normal domestic travelers."
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