OKLAHOMA CITY – CAIR Oklahoma and Catholic Charities have been busy resettling hundreds of Afghan refugees. However, the state has only received one-fifth of the 1,800 expected so far, CAIR Oklahoma said.
There are still about 750 refugees still to come. CAIR says they won’t know the family sizes until they arrive, but they can range from single individuals up to families of 10 or more.
“And with this many still to come, it’s going to be a long process,” said Adam Soltani, executive director of CAIR Oklahoma. “We have to be prepared for the marathon, not just for the sprint so we need to support them not just for a few months, but for many years to come.”
Soltani said the best way to welcome the refugees is not just through money but giving them a feeling of hospitality and safety.
On Monday, Soltani made a Facebook post about one of the refugees being verbally and physically assaulted. She was called a “Muslim terrorist” and was asked to “go back to her country.”
“Her neighbors actually physically assaulted her in an altercation in her front yard,” Soltani said. “Which is horrific.”
While they are not accepting clothing, CAIR and Catholic Charities said there are still many ways to help. They are accepting hygiene items, school supplies and monetary donations.
If you’d like to donate to CAIR or volunteer with refugee resettlement, you can email vlaizure@cair.com or click here to fill out this form.
Click here to also check out the refugee wish list.