Illinois is expected to receive about 500 refugees from Afghanistan after the U.S. withdrawl from the country last month. The 21st was joined by an Afghan with experience relocating as a refugee, as well as representatives from refugee aid organizations in central Illinois.

Last September, President Trump issued an executive order that would require local leaders to opt-in to refugee resettlement programs. Shortly before the deadline last month, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and several other local government leaders in Illinois wrote to Washington to reaffirm their willingness to resettle refugees from around the world.