what you're looking at is eight years in the making a
mother making a snack for her son something she hasn't
been able to do in nearly a decade. Hello Hassan e
refugee status in the United States back in 2013. She's
made a home here in Grand Forks, North Dakota Solom
her only child to be left behind in Uganda arrived j
this year. He's 26. I am miss a lot because I'm leaving
to see his girl, his yankee that now men, she began the
process to bring him over as soon as she arrived at
first, Solomon was immediately accepted and expected to
join his mother within a couple of years. But once
donald trump was elected, everything changed.
Everything has to begin from zero. You guys are going
to start everything fresh. So the films that I filled
in 2014, I signed in 2014 Nov. I had to sign again in
2019. I gave up at at the point that maybe it is not
going to happen. The trump administration slashe
refugee quotas, bringing the number resettled in every
state to the lowest in years. Even in North Dakota, on
of the leaders in refugees per capita questions
surrounding the vetting process The cost of refugees
and communities have made this a national debate. But
what are the facts How does this work before evacuees
even set foot on us soil They've already been vette
for years. Once approved, they're taken to us military
bases in other countries where they go even further
vetting. Each person goes through six background checks
including with the FBI homeland Security and Bureau of
Counterterrorism. They also undergo health screenings
and now they are given a COVID-19 vaccine ones clear.
They're flown to their selected city where a
resettlement agency meets them and take them to their
new home set up with furniture and stocked with food
But they're not done yet. We are taking them to the
Social Security office to apply for Social Security
number because that's the first step towards employment
and self sufficiency. Very important to get them
employed as quickly as we can Get their Children if
they have them enrolled in school. So who pays for all
of this The federal government puts most of the bill.
The 1st 90 days are covered by the State Department
setting them up with their apartment and basic needs
while they look for work after that there are refugee
support service programs run by the state and funded by
the federal government. This includes other government
assistance like Medicaid and food stamps. Various
programs continue for up to five years after that,
they're on their own. The number one goal is to make
them free and clear dan Hannah her helps resettle
refugees in North Dakota. His goal is to find them jobs
as quickly as possible. Getting them work and paying
taxes in general. It works. Most studies show overti
refugees pay more in taxes than they collect in
benefits. Not only are they going to be great employees
for the employers of this community. They're also go
to be great consumers for the business of this
community buying the goods and services offered by Good
businesses of Fargo. Typically, refugees are resettl
in communities with those from the same country here in
North Dakota. Most are from African countries or Syria
But in light of the mass evacuation in Afghanistan,
state has agreed to take in 49 refugees who will walk
through the airport doors right behind me. Some
including elected leaders, are not on board. We don't
have the resources here to handle that. Steve back in
is the mayor of bismarck, North Dakota. The Rep
has publicly opposed refugee resettlement in his city
and says taxpayer dollars are already stretched thin.
If somebody's resettled here an has four or five kids.
If those kids don't speak english, what are we doing to
the taxpayers on school district, that's a big burden.
He says his opinion hasn't changed in the years since
President trump made this a campaign issue. It's even
more solidified. Now as the country nears full
employment and more refugees will be looking for jobs.
He doesn't want to see any more refugees in bismarck.
There are language barriers. There's cultural barr
that takes time until somebody is uh, fully um,
familiar with, how to fit in within society, then
you're setting them up to fail, but how it doesn't feel
that way. She's thrilled with her job at walmart and
the future it has provided her family. Solomon wh
already has an associates degree, believes he's got a
bright future here and says his goals are the same as
any person most of them have seen had life where they
are and when they come here, they are not coming to do,
but they're just coming to make their life and get a
better life for themselves and everybody live back home.