Military base in New Mexico houses Afghan refugees

Holloman Air Force Base in southern New Mexico is now providing shelter for Afghan refugees as part of an initiative led by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The base facility supporting refugees has a capacity to house 5,000 people and is currently about 90% full.

Under Operation Allies Welcome, DHS is working with the U.S. Department of Defense and the Department of State to resettle Afghan refugees. About 9,000 Afghans have been resettled in the U.S. and more than 50,000 are living in temporary housing at military bases in the U.S.

Up to 30,000 more are projected to arrive over the next year. The refugees fled after the U.S. withdrew troops from Afghanistan in August and the Taliban took over.