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<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><img width="624" height="147" style="width:6.5in;height:1.5312in" id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.png@01D7A8B0.9782A130"></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">September 13, 2021<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><u><span style="font-size:22.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Idaho leaders push Biden on Afghan refugee resettlement security protocols<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">The Biden Administration acted through federal mandate and without consultation from the state in decision to resettle Afghan
refugees in Idaho<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Boise, Idaho – Governor Brad Little and the entire Idaho congressional delegation told President Joe Biden in a letter Friday that Idaho expects the federal government
to uphold the most stringent vetting standards in the resettlement of Afghan refugees to Idaho.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Idaho was informed the cities of Boise and Twin Falls are two of 139 U.S. cities selected to resettle refugees seeking asylum from Afghanistan.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">The action is being done through a federal mandate by the Biden Administration and without consultation from the state.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">The letter to President Biden was signed by Governor Little, U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, and Congressmen Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher.
<a href="https://gov.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/74/2021/09/biden-afghan-refugees.pdf">
View the letter here.</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">“As we reflect on the events that have transpired over the last two decades, our hearts continue to go out to all Americans and Afghan allies who have sacrificed throughout
the conflict. It is our nation’s responsibility to provide safety to those who have stood alongside America even in the most difficult of times,” the letter said. “With that said, the State of Idaho will not tolerate a change to the vetting process in order
to expedite the resettlement of refugees. This multi-phase vetting process must include medical screenings and U.S. intelligence and law enforcement database checks.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">While Idaho was not consulted in the federal decision to resettle Afghan refugees in the state, Governor Little took additional steps within his control to further ensure
the safety, security, and peace of mind of Idahoans by directing the Idaho State Police to work in tandem with local refugee coordinators to develop additional state vetting measures.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">“The United States of America is a republic that enshrines the role of states in the 10<sup>th</sup> Amendment, and we expect that you coordinate and work with the states,”
they added.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Idaho has not been informed of the number of refugees to be resettled in Idaho or the timeline of the refugees’ arrival.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Historically, 49 of 50 states resettle refugees, and Idaho has participated since 1975. Refugee resettlement is a legal immigration process wherein individuals are vetted
to ensure they pose no threat to Americans’ safety. Refugees are the most thoroughly screened people who travel into the United States.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">Governor Little added that most dangerous immigration crisis facing our country is the open border with Mexico, where hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants have
entered the country unchecked. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif">“We must continue to focus our efforts on urging the President and Congress to act and protect Americans by ending illegal immigration from Mexico,” Governor Little said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" align="center" style="text-align:center;background:white"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"># # #</span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="background:white"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="background:white"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black">NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: Marissa Morrison, Press Secretary</span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="background:white"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black">208-943-1686 or </span></span><span style="color:black"><a href="mailto:marissa.morrison@gov.idaho.gov"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#0563C1;text-decoration:none">marissa.morrison@gov.idaho.gov</span></span></a></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="background:white"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black">--</span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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