California requests $16.7M in aid for Afghan resettlement

California has requested $16.7 million in aid from its general funds in order to assist Afghan refugees who are resettling in the state.

Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.), state Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins (D) and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D) announced Friday the governor asked for $16.7 million from the state’s general funds in order to provide assistance to Afghan refugees who resettle in California.

California wants to offer health care, public benefits and more resources to all Afghan refugees, noting that some Afghans who aren’t Special Immigration Visa holders would be limited in aid.

Currently only Afghans refugees with children qualify for CalWORKs, the state-funded public assistance program. The state is proposing to expand its Trafficking and Crime Victim Assistance Program (TCVAP) so Afghan refugees without children can also get public assistance.

The legislature will discuss the request for funding and expansion of the program next week at its legislative session.

“I am proud that California has been and always will be a place of refuge for those seeking safety or a better life – especially for those who served our country, like many of the Afghan refugees coming to America, and to California,” said Newsom.

“Today’s announcements and request for funding signal that California stands ready to assist those in need. As the nation’s most diverse state, we don’t simply tolerate diversity, we celebrate it,” he added.