The U.S. Department of State has warned Afghan refugees that California and Washington, D.C., might be too expensive for them to resettle in due to skyrocketing rent and cost of living.
“Please be aware that the cost of living and the availability of housing can vary significantly in different locations across the United States,” the department’s website read. “The Washington, DC metro area including northern Virginia and some cities in California are very expensive places to live, and it can be difficult to find reasonable housing and employment.”
Resettlement benefits refugees receive may not be enough to “comfortably cover the cost of living” in these places, the State Department added.
Approximately 20,000 Afghan refugees are currently being housed at eight military bases across the U.S., Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said. (RELATED: Who Are The Afghan Refugees And Where Are They Going When They Come To The US?)
President Joe Biden’s administration has previously asked nine nonprofit refugee organizations to prepare for the resettlement of up to 50,000 Afghans arriving to the U.S. without visas.
While Newsom says he welcomes Afghan refugees to Califiornia, the State Department warns against it because of the high cost of living. https://t.co/K5OI39zVfi
— Senator Melissa Melendez (@senatormelendez) September 5, 2021
The webpage used to display a list of 19 “welcoming communities” for Afghans fleeing the Taliban, but now only suggests that refugees steer clear of the “very expensive places to live” according to WMTV.
Chicago, Phoenix, Jacksonville, Atlanta, Pittsburgh and Houston were on the list that has since been taken down.