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Refugee Services of Texas says 40 refugees from Afghanistan expected to land in Houston, more on the way

By Tiffany Justice
Published  August 16, 2021 10:46pm CDT
Texas
FOX 26 Houston

Houston man from Afghanistan speaks with FOX 26 about what his loved ones are experiencing

FOX 26 Reporter Tiffany Justice spoke with a Houston man originally from Afghanistan about what his family members are experiencing after the Taliban took over Kabul over the weekend.

HOUSTON - The largest refugees service in the state, The Refugee Services of Texas, speaking with FOX 26 Monday, as they get ready to resettle around 40 Special Immigrant Visa Afghanistan refugees into the Greater Houston area. 

CEO of Refugee Services of Texas, Russell Smith, tells us, he expects the number to grow within the next few weeks. 

"With this wave of SIV coming, as a general increase from a general historic low to what we are seeing, there is a large wave coming," said Smith. 

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Humanitarian efforts have begun to relocate thousands of refugees to different cities all across the U.S.

"There’s estimated to be around 30,000 individuals who are eligible," said Smith. "There’s likely about 1,000 coming to Texas."

Refugee Services of Texas plans on resettling 324 in the next few weeks in Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, and Houston. 

Smith tells us, as of noon Monday, 40 are heading to the greater Houston area and will most likely be relocated in the southwest area.

RELATED: Biden authorizes $500M in aid relief to Afghan refugees amid Taliban takeover

FOX 26 also spoke with Ahmed Sadozai, who fled Afghanistan with his family when he was only eight years old. He says he believes the decision to pull U.S. troops out was rushed. 

"If it’s the same Taliban that was used 23 years ago, the same thing will happen today," said Sadozai. "He did everybody wrong for making that quick decision. If you want to leave, great, but don’t leave the country in the hands of those corrupted people."

In the county’s capital city of Kabul, there have been reported deaths as thousands are now trying to flee.

As Afghanistan’s government has once more been overtaken by the Taliban, Sodozai tells us his dream to one day, go back home to a peaceful land, has been dashed. 

"My people are still scared. I don’t feel safe for my people over there," said Sodozai. "Their intentions is not humanity."

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Smith tells us, they are looking for volunteers to help out with a variety of needs. 

For more information about Refugee Services of Texas, click here.