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ATTACHMENT 1 <br />Proclaims <br />Support for Afghan Refugees <br />WHEREAS, in April 2021, President Biden announced that US military forces would leave <br />Afghanistan by September 11, 2021, after 20 years of conflict; and <br />WHEREAS, following news of the anticipated withdrawal of United States forces, the <br />Taliban accelerated attacks on the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, and has since <br />entered the capital, leading to the collapse of the Afghan government; and <br />WHEREAS, the Taliban's takeover of the Afghan government has created a humanitarian <br />crisis with rapidly deteriorating human rights for many individuals and groups, including women and <br />girls, members of the LGBTQ+ community, those who have direct ties to the United States <br />government and military, and members of ethnic minorities; and <br />WHEREAS, many Afghan citizens, government employees, interpreters, translators, and <br />Afghan National Defense and Security Forces personnel who supported our service members while <br />they were serving in Afghanistan now find their lives in jeopardy under Taliban rule; and <br />WHEREAS, refugees fleeing this crisis face a multitude of challenges when arriving in the <br />United States and transitioning to a new life; and <br />WHEREAS, as home to the largest concentration of Afghans and Afghan Americans in the <br />United States, Bay Area leaders are impelled to support the local Afghan community; and <br />NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the Pleasanton City Council hereby supports <br />refugees from Afghanistan residing in the Bay Area and calls upon our residents, community leaders, <br />and community-based organizations to welcome these Afghan families into our community. <br />DATED this 19th day of October, 2021. <br />Karla Brown, Mayor <br />Julie Testa, Vice Mayor <br />Jack Balch, Councilmember <br />Valerie Arkin, Councilmember <br />Kathy Narum, Councilmember <br />