SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — On Tuesday, People's Association of Justice Advocates president Shane Harris and Afghan leaders proposed San Diego County supervisors pass a formal resolution declaring, "San Diego County a welcoming region to Afghan refugees."
According to The People's Association of Justice Advocates, the proposal is to activate the County's official response to the international crisis in Afghanistan, in anticipation of a large influx of Afghan refugees and to provide a stronger coordinated housing accommodation plan for incoming Afghan refugees.
"Over the past week, my office has been in communication with Afghan leaders in our region," stated Harris in a letter to SD County supervisors. "Initially, we were proposing the county pass a formal resolution on record but as more concerns have grown regarding a potential influx and the number of refugees seen showing up in our region over the last few weeks ... the county needs to do more than a resolution."
The letter The People's Association of Justice Advocates and Afghan leaders issued to SD County supervisors listed the following proposals regarding immediate actions the county can take now to meet the humanitarian crisis:
- The People's Association of Justice Advocates is proposing the county pass a formal resolution declaring “San Diego County a welcoming region to Afghan Refugees.” Passing a formal resolution such as this allows the county to take a formal step on record to work in coordination with federal officials on a coordinated housing accommodation plan.
- The People's Association of Justice Advocates proposes the County of San Diego partner with some of its largest refugee service providers such as: Jewish Family Service, Catholic Charities, and the International Rescue Committee (San Diego) to provide an immediate and proactive stronger coordinated housing accommodation plan in advance of a potential influx of Afghan refugees coming into the region. The county should provide extra temporary housing accommodations to the large refugee service providers so they can expand their bandwidth for service.
