Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont Welcomes Hundreds of Afghans with ‘Open Arms’

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) this week celebrated the White House’s request to accept hundreds of Afghan refugees following the Biden administration’s botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, proclaiming it to be “our obligation and our duty to ensure these Afghan refugees feel welcome” in his state.

“Yesterday afternoon, my administration was informed by the White House that our state will soon be asked to accept as many as 310 Afghan refugees for resettlement in Connecticut,” Lamont said in a statement on Thursday, emphasizing he welcomes the Afghans “with open arms into our wonderful state.”

He continued:

In anticipation of this moment, I directed the Connecticut Department of Social Services, under the leadership of Commissioner Deidre Gifford, to work with our partners across state government, the federal government, and at the local level to ensure all of the necessary resources are available and ready to provide support to these men, women, and children making the long trip to Connecticut from Afghanistan. It is our obligation and our duty to ensure these Afghan refugees feel welcome in our state, and we will work to ensure they have everything they need from food and shelter to education and job training.

“The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has ensured Connecticut that these individuals will have all been vetted, in addition to having all necessary vaccinations, including for COVID-19,” he continued.

“These evacuees are our allies and have supported our country for years, and it is our turn to return the favor. Connecticut has a legacy of being there for those in need, and we are proud to answer the call,” he added:

Lamont statement falls in line with the sentiment expressed by fellow Democrat Gov. Tom Wolf (D-PA), who this week made it clear the Afghan refugees are more than welcome in the Keystone State:

Neither governor, in their brief statements, specifically addressed concerns over visa fraud, measles outbreaks, or reports of some Afghans being “flagged for suspected associations with terrorists.”

Biden, as of August 17, brought 48,000 Afghans into the United States.

Ultimately, Biden’s administration, which aims to resettle approximately 95,000 Afghans, plans to resettle them across 46 states, including Texas, Florida, Arizona, and Georgia.