r/wisconsin • u/pandemicshutdown • 25d ago

What are your thoughts on the Afghan refugees being relocated to Fort McCoy?

Not sure if this has happened in my lifetime to have this many refugees settled there and don't really know the playbook. Are they settling in? Being transitioned to major cities? Are they allowed to leave base? Logistically, what is going on?

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u/pandemicshutdown 25d ago

Well we are getting thousands of people who just left their entire worlds behind in quite traumatic circumstances. They are now being shuffled about like human cattle to get as many people sorted as possible. And they are in a place that is a super huge culture shock on multiple levels. Can't imagine that is too easy on them, ya know? Mostly I am wondering if they are going to receive local support and settle here or go elsewhere that is home to more services that can better help them and we are just an intermediate step.

Also please yes let's get some good food going.

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u/Ichiban71 25d ago

I didn't mean to downplay what they are currently going through, but I am sure that their futures hold way more promise (as long as they can tolerate our winters) than where they were coming from.

The whole situation is ugly and complicated by the fact that we had a hand in their current predicament.

That being said, knowing that there are going to be a bunch of girls who can now go to school without fear of being killed gives me a little boost of pride in my country.

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u/MysteriousAd9154 25d ago edited 25d ago

I don’t think you’re downplaying it, I loved it and I think that’s the attitude everyone should have towards foreigners, regardless of their status. See the things we have in common instead of the differences.

More people like you and less people wondering how long they’re staying here is the right way of looking at it.

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u/RangiChangi 25d ago

They’ll likely be kept at the bases while their applications for Special Immigrant Visas or possibly refugee status are processed. If they succeed in those processes, they’ll likely be resettled throughout the country where domestic resettlement agencies will help them for the first years (lining up apartments, helping find jobs, teaching them how to use public transport, etc.). It’s highly unlikely they’d all be resettled in WI.

Unfortunately, domestic resettlement agencies were pretty decimated under the last administration, so whether they have the capacity to assist so many people this quickly is a good question. After Vietnam, churches were heavily involved in resettling SE Asian refugees, so it would be nice if churches and community organizations would be willing and able to step up again.

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u/ksiyoto 25d ago

Because so many Hmong went through Ft. McCoy, a lot of them ended up in Wisconsin. Given our climate, a lot of the elders went into depression during the winter, so maybe it wasn't quite the right situation for them. Younger Hmong adapted well.

I hope the Afghanis get into whatever works best for them. I kinda wish my business had an open position so I could offer it to one of them as my way of welcoming them here.

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u/Dot81 25d ago

I used to work with a Hmong man. They went through a lot as well. A lot of the adult men died helping us, then the women and children nearly died getting to the refugee camp, then waited years to get here. They did a great job preserving their culture and fitting into local communities. I'm sure these good people will do the same.