Here & Now

US Senators Respond to Afghan Refugees in Fort McCoy

Frederica Freyberg:

We turn our attention now to the arrival of refugees to Wisconsin from Afghanistan. This afternoon more Republican lawmakers gathered to observe activity at Fort McCoy near Tomah. Fort McCoy is one of the military installations in the U.S. approved by the Department of Defense to provide temporary housing for the Afghan newcomers. The department says families arriving the base are being kept together. According to U.S. Senator Ron Johnson, there are currently more than 1,000 refugees inside Fort McCoy. In a visit to the base on Wednesday, Johnson questioned the level of vetting, saying a lack of vetting poses a security risk to the country.

Ron Johnson:

How many special immigrant visa holders do you think the Taliban are letting into Kabul airport right now? How many people that are the folks that are Afghanistan veterans want to pull out to safety, how many of those people do you think the Taliban are allowing through the gates of Kabul airport?

Frederica Freyberg:

Republican U.S. Senator Ron Johnson at Fort McCoy on Wednesday. For her part, Democratic U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin says the U.S. needs to welcome people arriving from Afghanistan, people who have helped the U.S. cause.

Tammy Baldwin:

I feel like we have a moral obligation not only to return U.S. nationals, people who are at risk because of their advocacy for women’s rights, children’s rights, NGOs, but also the Afghans who have stood by us, translated for us, have done many other things.