Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: Governor Hochul Announces $2 Million in State Funding to Help Afghan Evacuees Resettle in New York State

Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that $2 million in additional state funding will be provided to help Afghan evacuees acclimate to life in New York, bringing the total state commitment to $5 million. This is the first gubernatorial commitment of such funds in New York State.

VIDEO of the event is available on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here.

AUDIO of the event is available here.

PHOTOS will be available on the Governor's Flickr page.

A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks are available below:

Well, thank you. Once a governor, always a governor, Governor Markell, who's now the Ambassador for the Organization of Economic Cooperation Development. I want to thank you and the White House for making this such an important priority that it wasn't that we just say you can come to the United States and you're on your own. This has been a very strong effort to make sure that you've integrated into society and that they have all the resources they need. So thank you and the White House for all your incredible work to help these individuals resettle and feel welcome here in our country and in our state.

And a special thank you to the President of Bard College, Leon Botstein. I cannot imagine the transition for these students who've come to a whole new world. What you've done at this college is extraordinary. I thank you for the depth of compassion that you demonstrated and what a role model this is for other institutions, as well as the students and the faculty at Bard.

So, they will understand that this is a commitment statewide, but also the special responsibility that you've accepted to educate these young people and make them feel part of the family and to eventually give them that very prestigious degree from Bard College. I want to thank you for what you've done.

You know, as I said when I was talking to the students and I really appreciate the chance just to engage them for a few moments, New York's story has always been one of immigrants and these brave Afghan refugees are here to help us write the next chapter in that great story. Their success will also be a beacon of hope for others seeking refuge from violence and persecution. And the idea of the Lady Liberty in our harbor, I talked to the young students about, has been the story of New York for 130 years. Where people who left religious persecution or left wars, left oppression and left extreme poverty, like my own grandparents, leaving Ireland with nothing, that is what we have always viewed as our responsibility to the rest of the world. But because of that, we are a far better, more enriched, diverse state. And that's a huge point of pride for all New Yorkers.

As you know, the Statue of Liberty is inscribed. It says, give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, yearning to be free. The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. And that statement [encapsulates] our values. We want people to come here despite where they came from or despite the circumstances that drove them to this country, into this state. We see say, you are welcome here. You're welcome with open arms and we'll work to keep you safe.

We'll not only house you, but we'll protect you. And the richness of the culture and the diversity and the food and the restaurants that we know are going to be coming because of these efforts are beyond measure. It says it's an extraordinary part of our story. And it's woven into the story of New York and it makes us more vibrant.

I'm from Buffalo. The infusion of refugees from around the world has really made this community a place I grew up, a steel town. A lot of people left because they couldn't find jobs for a long time. It was the refugees from around the world that have made it such an incredibly fascinating community. Same with New York City. Same with Albany, same with Syracuse and Rochester.

So, our message to the world is send us your people, send us those who need the cloak of comfort that we can demonstrate as New Yorkers with big hearts and open arms, and we'll provide a safe haven, particularly for these Afghan refugees we're so proud that are here. We have over 7,500 Afghans living here already, and we expect to have another 1,800 more. We've sent a message from day one, we'll take as many as you want to have us have come to New York State because it's a huge point of pride for us.

We'll support them to build a whole new life. Whether it's getting an education at great institutions like Bard or getting a job and becoming an integral member of our great state. We'll make sure that they have the temporary housing and support they need to just start getting their feet on the ground and feeling welcome here.

In mid-October, our state university system opened its educational opportunity centers all across the state to make sure that the information was available for them to be able to get an education and start being integrated as quickly as possible.

I'm very proud today as I see what's happening and we want to show that the welcome mat is out. We are today announcing $2 billion that I've designated to help for refugee resettlement agencies. And I know that this is going to be money well spent. Then we can help them have the resources they need to provide that first home o help get people information, how to get to a job and get an education.

So I said to my team, whatever they need, we're here for them. And they're on the front lines, these refugee resettlement and social service agencies, they're our frontline workers helping find homes and how to adapt to society. So we're going to be providing medical care, mental health treatment because of the incredible stress that individuals who've been displaced from their world that they always knew growing up and they're now in a very foreign place. Language skills, job training, cultural competence training. Free immigration legal services, which is so important to get those legal documents for visas, as well as other supports, to make sure that they're transition to New York is as smooth as, as possible.

Now I want to thank Barbara Guinn, our Executive Deputy Commissioner at our agencies to help them thank them for their efforts that they're doing.

I will just close by saying this is personal to me to welcome people from Afghanistan. As a member of Congress a decade ago, I had the privilege of serving on the Homeland Security and the Armed Services Committees. In that responsibility, I traveled to Afghanistan with members of Congress. I went to Kabul, I went to Kandahar. I went to Helmand Province and we met people, not just on the basis and support what the military was doing. As a woman, I had the opportunity to do something. It was quite incredible to go into the homes of the Afghan women and see the important role that they played in providing information to our military, to make sure that we can work together to protect the security of the region.

And the individuals who played that role, as well as the translators and the individuals who are on the frontline providing relief that our journalists, so many people were part of the United States' effort to eradicate terrorism in places like Afghanistan to help free the people, we'll always be grateful to them.

That is another reason why we say our doors are open. We know the important role you played as our allies and therefore Operation Welcome Allies is so important to all of us who are grateful for the work that was done by so many. And they deserve our respect and our enduring gratitude.

And I want to acknowledge, also, a young man, who we're going to be hearing from in a few minutes, Jalil Sadat, for his journey here. I want you to feel welcome not just in America, but New York. We're very proud. We want to make sure that you're dressed warm to be able to handle our winters. And if you don't already know how, start enjoying the winter sports, because we embrace it wholeheartedly.

And with that, I do want to introduce the incredible leader of Bard College, Leon Botstein, and thank him once again on behalf of all New Yorkers for your generosity. Thank you.