BURLINGTON COUNTY, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — Nearly 10,000 Afghanistan evacuees are being temporarily housed on a military base in South Jersey. New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez toured the facility Friday.
According to Menendez, Afghan families seem to be settling into a pattern of normalcy at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.
"They're still going through vetting processes, they’re going through medical screenings, everybody’s being vaccinated for COVID. And for children, maybe other vaccinations that were necessary as well," he said.
"There's a lot of volunteers, and governmental entities that are helping out. So they're picking through clothing, because most of them just left with what was on their back."
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Menendez said the goal has been to work them through all the necessary screenings and then either reunite them with family members in the U.S., or introduce them into resettlement agencies.
"Those who have families obviously will be settled resettled quick, more quickly. Others may take longer, but probably the goal is I think the next six, seven months to have the ball resettled," he said.
The senator observed a sense of community formed on the base over the last three weeks, with some kids playing soccer and giving out fist bumps.
"They should be proud of our incredible military. In the sad chapter that our country has had with Afghanistan, this is probably one of the bright lights. And it's a reaffirmation of what is the best of America," Menendez said.
United Ways in New Jersey have started a donation drive to meet the urgent needs of the families.