>>> NEBRASKA HAS WELCOMED MORE THAN 1200 REFUGEES FROM AFGHANISTAN SINCE LAST FALL.

WE'LL TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE RESETTLEMENT PROCESS FOR AFGHANS IN THE STATE.

PLUS, DEBATING A BUDGET IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND ARE WE THROUGH WITH COVID?

ALL OF THAT TONIGHT ON "SPEAKING OF NEBRASKA."

>>> THANKS FOR JOINING US ON "SPEAKING OF NEBRASKA."

I'M NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA NEWS DIRECTOR DENNIS KELLOGG.

PRESIDENT BIDEN PULLED THE U.S. MILITARY OUT OF AFGHANISTAN IN LATE AUGUST LAST YEAR.

SHORTLY AFTER, THE TALIBAN RETOOK CONTROL OF THE CENTRAL ASIAN COUNTRY AND MANY AFGHANS HAVE MADE THE DECISION TO LEAVE THEIR HOME COUNTRY.

NEBRASKA IS AMONG THE STATES TAKING THOSE REFUGEES IN.

ADJUSTING TO A NEW CULTURE IS NOT EASY.

THAT'S WHY FORMER REFUGEES WHO'VE LIVED IN LINCOLN FOR 20 YEARS ORGANIZED A WELCOME EVENT FOR THE NEWEST REFUGEES A FEW WEEKS AGO.

NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA NEWS PRODUCER, WILL BAUER, WAS THERE AND HAS MORE ON THE ADJUSTMENT THESE REFUGEES ARE UNDERGOING.

>> THANK YOU AGAIN, EVERYBODY, FOR COMING.

>> FILLED WITH CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, REPRESENTATIVES FROM LINCOLN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THE CITY'S POLICE CHIEF AND, OF COURSE, AFGHAN REFUGEES, THE MAIN BALLROOM AT EMBASSY SUITES IN LINCOLN WAS PACKED.

THE EVENT WAS ORGANIZED BY RABIA RASHIDI AND HER HUSBAND, FAHEEM.

>> WHEN I CAME, I HAD THE SAME FEELING THAT THEY'RE HAVING NOW.

I DID NOT HAVE ANYBODY HELPING ME.

WE ENDED UP HAVING TO THROW THIS KIND OF GATHERING TO SHOW THEM, TELL THEM OUR EXPERIENCE BECAUSE WE WENT THROUGH A LOT OF PROBLEM, LIKE THE LANGUAGE BARRIER AND CULTURAL SHOCK, EVERYTHING.

>> RABIA AND FAHEEM CAME TO THE U.S.

IN THE EARLY 2000S.

THEY WERE ALSO FLEEING THE TALIBAN AND LIKE THIS NEWEST GROUP OF REFUGEES, RABIA'S FAMILY HAD WORKED WITH THE U.S. GOVERNMENT.

THE ADJUSTMENT TO A NEW LIFE IN THE U.S. WAS HARD FOR RABIA AND THAT'S WHY SHE'S TAKEN IT UPON HERSELF TO HELP THESE NEW AMERICANS.

>> SO WE DON'T WANT THEM TO GO THROUGH THE SAME PROBLEM THAT WE WENT.

WE JUST WANT TO GIVE THEM IDEA.

WE JUST WANT TO GIVE THEM, IT IS OKAY.

TAKE A DEEP BREATH.

EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE OKAY.

THERE IS A SCHOOL.

THERE IS A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU CAN LEARN ENGLISH, GO TO WORK.

>> SHE AND HER HUSBAND GO TO WORK AT LINCOLN PHARMACY ON THE CORNER OF 33RD AND A STREETS IN LINCOLN.

THEY OWN IT.

BUT IT'S RABIA AND FAHEEM'S WORK WITH THESE REFUGEES THAT HAS CAUGHT THE EYES OF KATIE PATRICK, WHO DIRECTS CATHOLIC SOCIAL SERVICES OF SOUTHERN NEBRASKA.

>> I THINK WHAT IMPRESSES AND TOUCHES ME MOST IS THAT THE AFGHAN COMMUNITY THAT WAS LIVING HERE FOR THE PAST TEN, 20, 25 YEARS IS REALLY USING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THEIR OWN LIVED EXPERIENCE WITH THE NEWCOMERS.

I THINK THAT FOR AS MUCH AS WE, AS A RESETTLEMENT AGENCY CAN DO AT CATHOLIC SOCIAL SERVICES, IT ISN'T EVER GOING TO BE AS MUCH AS WHAT FAHEEM AND HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS CAN DO FOR THE NEW AFGHAN REFUGEES THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED.

>> SPEAKERS AT THE EVENT DETAILED ESSENTIAL INFORMATION FOR REFUGEES: WHAT PARENTS CAN EXPECT FOR THEIR CHILDREN IN THEIR SCHOOLS OR WHAT ROLE THE POLICE OFFICERS PLAY IN THE COMMUNITY.

LINCOLN POLICE CHIEF TERESA EWINS GOT A QUESTION ASKING IF THESE REFUGEES WOULD BE TREATED THE SAME AS U.S. CITIZENS.

>> YOU KNOW WHAT I TOLD THEM IS THEY'RE GOING TO BE TREATED THE SAME AS EVERYONE ELSE.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THAT.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S GOING TO BE MISTAKES.

NOTHING IS EVER 100% SMOOTH.

>> WHEN THERE ARE MISTAKES, EWINS SAYS WILL IT BE L.P.D.

'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND DO WHAT THEY CAN TO CORRECT THE SITUATION.

RABIA'S BROTHER, BAKTASH, IS ONE OF THOSE REFUGEES WHO'S NOW LEARNING A NEW WAY OF LIFE IN NEBRASKA.

IT IS A CHALLENGE BUT BETTER THAN STAYING IN THE NORTHERN STATE OF PARWAN.

>> I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WOULD BE DANGEROUS FOR ME TO STAY IN KABUL BECAUSE I THOUGHT MY FAMILY ARE IN AMERICA AND THEY ARE CITIZEN OF AMERICA.

SO, ONE DAY, I WILL BE IN DANGER SO IT IS TOO GOOD TO MOVE WITH MOTHER.

>> SO FAR, BAKTASH SAYS HE LIKES LINCOLN.

HE IS THANKFUL FOR HIS FAMILY BUT HE FEELS FOR THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE SUCH A STRONG SUPPORT SYSTEM.

>> I'M THINKING ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE WHO CANNOT SPEAK ENGLISH, WHO ARE NOT EDUCATED, WHO CANNOT USE MOBILES, INTERNET, GO TO THE SITES AND GET SOME HELP, SO I'M THINKING FOR THAT PEOPLE I REALLY STUCK IN THIS BECAUSE I ALREADY KIND OF SPEAK ENGLISH.

I HAVE FRIENDS.

>> THAT'S WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR RABIA AND FAHEEM TO GATHER ALL THESE REFUGEES, TO LET THEM KNOW THEY NOT ALONE THROUGH THEIR STRUGGLES.

>> THESE NEWLY AFGHAN REFUGEES FLEE FROM THEIR COUNTRY LEAVING EVERYTHING BEHIND.

THEY HAD A LIFE.

THEY WERE EDUCATED, EVERYTHING.

THEY JUST CAME WITH ONLY ONE PAIR OF CLOTHING.

THEY ARE KIND OF DEPRESSED.

THEY ARE VERY SAD, LEAVING EVERYTHING BEHIND.

>> FOR "SPEAKING OF NEBRASKA, " I'M WILL BAUER.

>>> JOINING US NOW IS SHER JAN AHMADZAI, THE DIRECTOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA CENTER FOR AFGHANISTAN STUDIES AND ALSO MATT MARTIN, THE ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT FOR COMMUNITY SERVICES WITH LUTHERAN FAMILY SERVICES.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING WITH US ON "SPEAKING OF NEBRASKA."

>> THANK YOU.

>> I WANT TO START THE CONVERSATION WITH A QUESTION ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL IN AFGHANISTAN.

DIRECTOR AHMADZAI, YOU WORKED IN THE AFGHAN GOVERNMENT BEFORE COMING TO THE UNITED STATES.

YOU KNOW THE COUNTRY VERY WELL.

YOU HAVE PEOPLE YOU KNOW THAT ARE STILL THERE, AS A MATTER OF FACT.

SO, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE SITUATION RIGHT NOW IN AFGHANISTAN?

>> WELL, I HAVE BEEN RECEIVING PLEAS FROM MANY PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE INTRODUCED FOR EVACUATION OR THE REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PROCESS TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT.

THEY HAVE BEEN DESPERATE.

SOME OF THEM HAVE ALREADY MOVED TO PAKISTAN OR OTHER COUNTRIES AND HAVE BEEN ASKING US TO HELP THEM GET OUT.

THE SITUATION SECURITY-WISE MIGHT NOT BE THE SAME AS IT WAS BEFORE BECAUSE THERE AREN'T A LOT OF BOMB BLASTS BUT OVERALL IT IS VERY TIGHT FOR PEOPLE TO FEEL FREE.

THE FREEDOM THAT THEY ENJOYED BEFORE IS NOT THERE.

POLITICAL FREEDOM IS NOT THERE.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH HAS BEEN CURTAILED, TO A LARGE EXTENT AND THE ECONOMIC SITUATION IS SO WORSE THAT PEOPLE HAVE LOST JOBS AND INCOME.

I HAVE HAD PEOPLE ASKING FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.

I DID PERSONALLY, MY FRIENDS HAVE RELATIVES HERE IN THE UNITED STATES WHO ALREADY CONTRIBUTED TO DIFFERENT FUNDS IN PERSON AND HELP PEOPLE IN AFGHANISTAN.

SO, IT IS NOT IDEAL.

IT IS UNFORTUNATELY NOT THE WAY WE WANTED TO.

IT IS A DIRE SITUATION ECONOMICALLY AND POLITICALLY.

EVERYBODY THAT I HAVE TALKED TO HAS BEEN ASKING ME -- I GET MESSAGES ON WHAT'S APP, ON FACEBOOK, AND TEXT MESSAGES FOR ASSISTANCE AND HELP EVERYWHERE AND GUIDANCE.

HOW DO I GET OUT?

THAT SAYS A LOT ABOUT IF SOMEBODY ASKS YOU, HOW DO I GET OUT.

>> MATT MARTIN, YOUR ORGANIZATION, LUTHERAN FAMILY SERVICES HAS BEEN WORKING HARD WITH SOME OF THE OTHER RESETTLEMENT ORGANIZATIONS TO RESETTLE ALL OF THESE REFUGEES.

THERE ARE TWO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS: CATHOLIC SOCIAL SERVICES AND THE REFUGEE EMPOWERMENT CENTER, RESETTLING IN STATE BUT OVERALL, FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF LUTHERAN FAMILY SERVICES, HOW DO YOU THINK THE RESETTLEMENT PROCESS IS GOING?

>> WHEN THE AIRLIFT OUT OF KABUL STARTED IN THE MIDDLE OF AUGUST OF LAST YEAR, WE WERE IN CONTACT RIGHT AWAY WITH OUR NATIONAL PARTNERS THAT WE WORK WITH TO RESETTLE REFUGEES IN OUR COMMUNITIES ACROSS NEBRASKA AND IN WESTERN IOWA.

WE HAD A VERY GOOD IDEA FAIRLY EARLY ON ABOUT THE NUMBERS THAT WOULD LIKELY BE COMING TO OUR COMMUNITIES.

WE WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS A GOOD PROCESS.

THAT EVEN IF AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL THINGS WERE A LITTLE UNRESOLVED AT THE BEGINNING BECAUSE OF THE IMMEDIACY OF THE SITUATION, THINGS DID AT LEAST COME TO A BETTER PROCESS AS THINGS WENT ON.

NOW THAT WE ARE HERE IN MARCH AND THE FIRST WAVE OF AFGHAN REFUGEES HAS COME, NATIONALLY 76,000 PEOPLE, ABOUT 800 OR SO, WHICH LUTHERAN FAMILY SERVICES HAS RESETTLED, I THINK THAT WE ARE AT A PRETTY GOOD PLACE.

THERE ARE STILL CHALLENGES THAT REMAIN.

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO -- WE ARE STILL WORKING WITH TO GET PERMANENT HOUSING.

STILL SOME DOCUMENTATION ISSUES, WHICH ARE HOLDING UP PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO BE EMPLOYED IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

ISSUES LIKE THAT.

BUT I THINK OVERALL GIVEN THE SIZE OF THE CHALLENGE AND THE EFFORT THAT'S BEEN TAKEN AND WITH ALL THE ASSISTANCE THAT WE'VE GOTTEN FROM THE LARGER COMMUNITY, I THINK IT'S GONE FAIRLY WELL.

>> AS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LEAVING THE COUNTRY OF AFGHANISTAN, SOME OF THEM MAY HAVE HELPED THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND NOW FEAR FOR THEIR SAFETY.

OTHERS MAY HAVE OTHER REASONS.

DIRECTOR AHMADZAI, CAN YOU GIVE US A BETTER IDEA ABOUT THE TYPES OF PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING TO NEBRASKA RIGHT NOW?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IN THE FIRST ROUND, AS MATT SAID, 76,000 PEOPLE WERE EVACUATED.

THE MAJORITY OF THEM WERE IN URGENCY AT THAT TIME, BUT I CAN SAY THAT MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO WORKED WITH U.S.

FORCES OR WITH THE U.S. GOVERNMENT IN ONE OR ANOTHER WAY, ARE STILL THERE.

THEIR S.I.V.

APPLICATIONS ARE STILL PENDING.

THEIR PAROLEE APPLICATIONS ARE STILL PENDING.

THEY ARE IN THOUSANDS.

THE BIGGEST NUMBER COULD BE MORE THAN 50,000 PEOPLE STILL STUCK THERE.

THEY WANT TO GET OUT.

THEY CANNOT OPENLY STATE THAT WE WERE PART OF THE WHOLE MISSION OF UNITED STATES IN AFGHANISTAN AND THAT PUTS THEM IN DANGER.

REGARDLESS OF WHO YOU ARE, IF YOU HAVE CONNECTIONS IN AFGHANISTAN OR NOT, BUT EVERYBODY THERE UNFORTUNATELY ARE IN A POSITION THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET OUT.

PLUS, THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH PASSPORTS, NATIONAL IDENTITY CARDS FOR THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS OR TRAVELING ABROAD.

THE NEW RESTRICTIONS ARE A WOMAN, FOR EXAMPLE, CANNOT TRAVEL WITHOUT A FAMILY MEMBER.

THAT PUTS ANOTHER RESTRICTION, ESPECIALLY WOMEN IN THE POPULATION IF THEY WANT TO GET OUT OF THE COUNTRY.

THEY SHOULD HAVE REASONS FOR THAT ONE.

PLUS, THERE ARE CERTAIN LIMITATIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, FROM NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES TO PAKISTAN.

THEY DO NOT ISSUE VISAS.

VISAS -- HAVE TO PAY $300, $400, $600 BRIBE TO PEOPLE TO GET YOU A VISA.

THEY CANNOT AFFORD THAT.

ON TOP OF THAT, GOING OUT AND STAYING IN DIFFERENT COUNTRY FOR A YEAR BEFORE YOU GET PROCESSED TO COME TO THE UNITED STATES ADDS ANOTHER BURDEN FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY LOST THEIR JOBS, THEY LOST THEIR INCOME.

THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES EVEN INSIDE AFGHANISTAN, LET ALONE BEING IN PAKISTAN.

THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF THOSE PEOPLE STILL REMAINING IN HIDING ACTUALLY.

>> WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE COMING INTO THE UNITED STATES BUT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SAYS THEY HAVE ABOUT 1213 AFGHAN REFUGEES IN THE STATE ACCORDING TO THEIR RECORDS MATT, DO YOU EXPECT THAT NUMBER TO KEEP GROWING?

AND IF SO, HOW MUCH LONGER?

>> WE DO EXPECT TO SEE MAYBE SOME MORE MODEST NUMBERS COMING.

IN THIS FIRST WAVE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO TRY TO COMPLETE THAT BY FEBRUARY 15.

THAT MEANS THAT NOW INTO MARCH, VIRTUALLY EVERYONE OF THAT FIRST WAVE IS HERE.

THERE IS A SECOND WAVE THAT HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED, A PHASE TWO, THAT IS GOING TO BE MUCH SMALLER.

WE EXPECT THAT TO BE BETWEEN 5,000 AND 7,500 PEOPLE OR SO.

THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN PROBABLY IN BETWEEN PLACES, U.S. MILITARY BASES IN THE MIDDLE EAST OR IN EUROPE.

MAYBE THEY WERE ABLE TO GET OUT OF AFGHANISTAN THROUGH OTHER CHANNELS AND MADE IT TO A U.S.

FACILITY TO TRY TO GET PASSAGE TO THE UNITED STATES THROUGH VISAS OF VARIOUS KINDS, WHAT NOT.

WE WILL SEE PROBABLY SOME PEOPLE FROM THAT 5000-7500 PEOPLE COME HERE, BUT WE DON'T EXPECT IT TO BE DRAMATICALLY MORE NUMBERS AT THIS POINT.

BEYOND THAT, OF COURSE, THERE IS THE NORMAL PATHWAYS THAT REFUGEES COME AROUND -- FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO THE UNITED STATES.

WE EXPECT TO SEE AFGHANS CONTINUE TO BE PART OF THAT POPULATION TOO INTO THE FUTURE.

>> DIRECTOR AHMADZAI, THIS WEEK, HOMELAND SECURITY DESIGNATED AFGHANISTAN FOR TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS FOR 18 MONTHS, WHICH MEANS FOR THE NEXT YEAR AND A HALF, AFGHANS WHO WERE RECENTLY BROUGHT HERE WITH TEMPORARY VISAS CAN LIVE AND WORK IN THE UNITED STATES WITHOUT THE FEAR OF BEING RETURNED TO THE TALIBAN-CONTROLLED AFGHANISTAN.

IN YOUR ESTIMATION, HOW IMPORTANT WAS THAT MOVE?

>> I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.

I'M A MEMBER OF THE AFGHAN-AMERICAN FOUNDATION, A BOARD MEMBER, ALSO.

ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS GOT A CALL FROM ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE, AN APPLICANT, AND HE WAS CRYING BECAUSE OF HAPPINESS.

HE WAS SO DESPERATE, IN LIMBO, HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO AND AS SOON AS HE HEARD THE TPS ANNOUNCEMENT, HE WAS CRYING THAT THANK GOD I CAN NOW LIVE IN THE UNITED STATES AND WORK AND SUPPORT MY FAMILY.

THIS IS THE DESPERATION THAT IS THERE AMONG THE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE COVERED BY THE TPS, THE TEMPORARY PROTECTION SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE FOR THAT STATUS.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT.

THAT CHANGED LIVES OF THOUSANDS WHO WERE WITH NO LEGAL STATUS IN THE UNITED STATES.

IT HAS AN IMMENSE IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF THOUSANDS WILL BE COVERED UNTIL TWO DAYS AGO WHO CAME TO UNITED STATES UNDER THAT STATUS.

>> OBVIOUSLY, OUR FOCUS AS A NATION AND AS A WORLD IS ON UKRAINE RIGHT NOW WITH WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE RUSSIAN INVASION.

WE HAVE SEEN SOME OF THE UKRAINIANS EVACUATE TO SOME OF THE NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES BUT FROM WHAT YOU ARE HEARING, WILL ANY OF THOSE REFUGEES POSSIBLY EVENTUALLY END UP IN THE UNITED STATES?

EITHER ONE OF YOU.

>> I THINK THEY WILL PROBABLY END UP IN THE UNITED STATES.

OUR GOVERNMENT HAS ALREADY ISSUED STATEMENTS THAT THEY WELCOME REFUGEES FROM UKRAINE.

I HOPE THEY ARE DEALT WITH OPEN ARMS BY OUR SOCIETY, JUST LIKE WE ARE WELCOMING AFGHAN REFUGEES.

I THINK WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO COVER FOR MORE AND HAVE SPACE AND CAPACITY TO COVER FOR MORE REFUGEES COMING FOR WHATEVER.

IN UKRAINE, JUST LIKE AFGHANS ARE SUFFERING RIGHT NOW, I THINK WE WILL EXPECT A NUMBER OF PEOPLE COMING TO THE UNITED STATES.

MAYBE MATT CAN ADD MORE TO THAT?

>> MM-HMM.

THE FIRST THING IS I WOULD SAY IS, I WOULD LIKE TO BE OPTIMISTIC AND I WOULD LIKE TO IMAGINE A WORLD IN WHICH IN BOTH AFGHANISTAN AND UKRAINE THAT PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO GO HOME AND TO RESETTLE IN THEIR OWN HOMES AND HAVE THE POLITICAL AND THE ECONOMIC AND THE SECURITY ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

BUT SHORT OF THAT, WE, AS SHER JAN WAS SAYING, WE CERTAINLY WELCOME PEOPLE WHO COME HERE, AS WE DO REFUGEES FROM AROUND THE WORLD, TO COME TO OUR COMMUNITIES.

WE WILL WORK WITH OUR NATIONAL PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PREPARED AND READY IF THAT EVENTUALITY HAPPENS.

I WILL SAY THAT WE ARE STARTING, HAVE SEEN A FEW ACTUAL UKRAINIANS WHO HAVE COME TO LINCOLN JUST IN THE LAST WEEK AND A HALF OR SO, PEOPLE WHO WERE ABLE TO GET OUT WITH THEIR OWN ABILITY AND COME TO THE UNITED STATES ON THEIR OWN POWER, BUYING PLANE TICKETS AND ALL THE REST OF IT.

THEY HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS HERE IN LINCOLN.

SO THIS WAS A NATURAL PLACE FOR THEM TO WANT TO COME TO.

THEY HAVE ALREADY COME TO LUTHERAN FAMILY SERVICES TO TALK ABOUT THE SERVICES THAT WE CAN PROVIDE TO HELP THEM INTEGRATE INTO OUR COMMUNITIES FOR AS LONG AS THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE HERE.

WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

I HOPE THAT THE SITUATION IS BETTER THAN WORSE BUT WE'RE PREPARED FOR WHATEVER HAPPENS.

>> MATT, THIS IS A MASSIVE UNDERTAKING FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION.

DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH VOLUNTEERS AND ENOUGH HELP TO GET THIS THING DONE?

>> THE OUTREACH AND THE PASSION FROM THE COMMUNITY HAS REALLY BEEN TREMENDOUS, I THINK, FROM ALL SECTORS.

I THINK WE HAVE ALL SEEN THE AMOUNT OF INTEREST FROM VOLUNTEERS FROM ORGANIZATIONS, FROM CHURCH GROUPS, FROM ALL SECTORS OF THE PUBLIC REALLY COME OUT AND SUPPORT WHAT WE ARE DOING, WHAT ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS ARE DOING.

WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TRAIN OVER A THOUSAND VOLUNTEERS, SO FAR.

WE HAVE A CO-SPONSOR PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES DIRECT SUPPORT FOR RESETTLEMENT SERVICES THAT WE DO SO THAT IN AT LEAST OMAHA VIRTUALLY EVERY FAMILY THAT WANTS TO HAVE A CO-SPONSOR WALK THE PATH WITH THEM TOWARDS RESETTLEMENT AND INTEGRATION INTO OUR COMMUNITIES HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT SO IT'S BEEN REALLY WONDERFUL TO SEE THE RESPONSE.

>> SHER JAN, CAN YOU JUST GIVE US THE PERSPECTIVE OF A REFUGEE, MAYBE EVEN A CHILD WHO'S COMING IN HERE.

DOESN'T SPEAK THE LANGUAGE.

DOESN'T KNOW MANY PEOPLE YET IS GOING TO SCHOOL AND HAVING TO LEARN IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SETTING.

WHAT IS THAT LIKE?

>> IT'S VERY DIFFICULT.

I HAVE BEEN A REFUGEE MYSELF IN THE '80S AFTER THE RUSSIAN INVASION -- SOVIET INVASION TO AFGHANISTAN.

I LIVED IN PAKISTAN AS A REFUGEE IN TENTS.

I CAN FEEL HOW A CHILD COMING TO THE UNITED STATES, A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE, A DIFFERENT CULTURE, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S A CULTURAL SHOCK.

A SHOCK GETTING OUT OF AFGHANISTAN, GOING THROUGH THE MILITARY PLANE AND YOU SEE PEOPLE DYING ON THE TARMAC AT THE KABUL AIRPORT AND THEN COMING TO THE UNITED STATES WITH THE HOPE THAT HE WILL HAVE A GOOD LIFE, BUT THEN FACES CHALLENGES.

IT'S A SHOCK.

SOME PEOPLE, OF COURSE, WOMEN AND CHILDREN EVEN GO INTO DEPRESSION WHEN THEY SEE THEY ARE SEPARATED FROM THEIR FAMILIES IN AN UNKNOWN PART OF THE WORLD STARTING FROM SCRATCH.

IT IS VERY DIFFICULT.

I LIVED THROUGH THAT ONE.

IT IS SO DIFFICULT OF LIFE.

NOBODY WOULD LIKE TO BE A REFUGEE.

IT IS NOT A CHOICE.

IT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY HAD TO MAKE A CHOICE TO GET OUT.

IF THEY FELT SAFE IN THEIR HOMELAND, WHEREVER THEY WERE, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE COME TO SOMEWHERE SAFER IF THEY FELT THAT.

>> MATT, I WANT TO ASK YOU, WHEN WE HAVE PEOPLE COMING INTO THE STATE OF NEBRASKA AS REFUGEES, DOES HISTORY SHOW THEY MOST LIKELY STAY HERE OR DO THEY TEND TO GET ACCLIMATED TO THE UNITED STATES AND MOVE ELSEWHERE?

>> I THINK WE ACTUALLY HAVE A VERY GOOD HISTORY OF PEOPLE STAYING HERE IN NEBRASKA.

PEOPLE COME FOR OFTENTIMES VERY SPECIFIC REASONS.

THEY HAVE FAMILIES WHO ARE HERE, THEY HAVE COLLEAGUES WHO ARE HERE, WHO HAVE MOVED HERE ALREADY.

THEY HEAR THAT NEBRASKA IS A GOOD PLACE TO BE.

UP UNTIL AS RECENTLY AS JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, NEBRASKA HAD MORE REFUGEES PER CAPITA THAN ANY OTHER STATE IN THE COUNTRY, SO I THINK THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES TO THE SORT OF COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENT THAT WE PROVIDE HERE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING AND WANT TO BE PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

I THINK THAT WILL CONTINUE.

>> ADDING TO THAT, I SHOULD SAY THAT THE AFGHAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY THAT HAS BEEN HERE SINCE 40 YEARS AGO, NOW IN THIS INFLUX, OR THE LAST FIVE, SIX YEARS THROUGH S.I.V.

SYSTEM, MOST OF THEM STAYED, NOT ONLY STAYED, THEY BECAME HOMEOWNERS IN THREE OR FOUR YEARS.

THAT SHOWS THE RESILIENCE IN BECOMING A CONTRIBUTING CITIZENS TO NEBRASKA, TO OMAHA, TO LINCOLN, TO UNITED STATES, WHERE THEY ARE NO LONGER A BURDEN ON THE SYSTEM BUT THEY SUPPORT THE ECONOMY.

THEY GO TO JOBS.

THEY DO ONE, TWO, OR THREE JOBS.

I HAVE MANY EXAMPLES IN THE OMAHA OR LINCOLN AREA WHERE I HAVE FRIENDS WHO MOVED HERE FIVE YEARS AGO AND NOW THEY OWN A HOME.

THAT'S AMERICAN DREAM THEY'RE PURSUING HERE.

THEY CONTRIBUTED TO WHAT WE HAVE, A BEAUTIFUL MOSAIC OF DIFFERENT NATIONALITIES AND DIFFERENT NATIONS, A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS AND THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

THE AFGHAN OR UKRAINIAN OR ANYBODY ELSE COMING TO THE STATE TO NEBRASKA MADE IT MORE BEAUTIFUL.

>> DIRECTOR AHMADZAI, WE JUST HAVE ABOUT A MINUTE LEFT TO GO.

I WANT TO ASK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF YOUR COUNTRY.

ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC?

>> I WANT TO BE OPTIMISTIC.

I THINK OPTIMISM IS SOMETHING THAT MAKES YOU -- HELPS ME LIVE AND I HOPE THERE HAPPENS TO BE A TIME WHEN AFGHANISTAN, MY COUNTRY OF MY BIRTH, BECOMES A PLACE WHERE ANYBODY ELSE COULD VISIT AND THERE ARE NO MORE REFUGEES COMING FROM AFGHANISTAN.

>> AWESOME.

WELL, SHER JAN AHMADZAI, THE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR AFGHANISTAN STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA, MATT MARTIN WITH LUTHERAN FAMILY SERVICES, THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING WITH US ON "SPEAKING OF NEBRASKA."

WE APPRECIATE IT.

BEST OF LUCK, AS WELL.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THIS INTERVIEW AND TONIGHT'S PROGRAM ARE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE.

JUST GO TO NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/ SPEAKINGOFNEBRASKA.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

YOU CAN FIND US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER AT NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA NEWS.

>> COVID SEEMS TO HAVE DISAPPEARED FROM MANY PEOPLE'S DAILY LIVES, AT LEAST FOR NOW.

THERE HAVE BEEN OUTBREAKS IN OTHER COUNTRIES, THOUGH.

HERE WITH THE LATEST ON THE PANDEMIC IS DR. ANGELA HEWLETT, THE DIRECTOR OF THE NEBRASKA BIOCONTAINMENT UNIT AT NEBRASKA MEDICINE.

THANKS, DR. HEWLETT, FOR JOINING US AGAIN.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> COVID CASES ARE WAY DOWN ALL ACROSS THE STATE.

CDC DATA SHOW THE STATEWIDE SEVEN-DAY AVERAGE IS NOW AT 54 CASES PER DAY.

IN JANUARY, THE PEAK WAS OVER 4,000 A DAY.

DR. HEWLETT, DOES THIS MEAN WE CAN THE COVID PANDEMIC IS ENDING?

>> WELL, NO, UNFORTUNATELY.

I TELL YOU WHAT, I WOULD GIVE ANYTHING FOR THAT TO BE THE CASE.

WE DEFINITELY ARE SEEING A STEEP DECLINE IN CASES, AS YOU MENTIONED, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY THE TREND WE WANT TO SEE AND FRANKLY, WHAT WE NEED TO SEE, AFTER WHAT WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.

OUR HOSPITALS ARE NOW ABLE TO PROVIDE THE CARE THAT WE NEED TO PROVIDE FOR OUR PATIENTS, WHO MANY HAVE HAD CARE DELAYED BY THE PANDEMIC AND PARTICULARLY, MOST RECENTLY WITH THIS OMICRON SURGE SO THE TREND IS DEFINITELY ENCOURAGING.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT TO SEE BUT THAT BEING SAID, WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAUTIOUS, ESPECIALLY IF WE HAVE LEARNED ANYTHING IN THIS PANDEMIC, IT'S THESE TRENDS CAN BE UNPREDICTABLE.

THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT WE COULD SEE A SURGE AGAIN.

THERE IS A HIGH LIKELIHOOD THAT WE MAY SEE ANOTHER VARIANT AND WE COULD SEE AN INCREASE IN CASES AGAIN, UNFORTUNATELY.

>> THERE HAVE BEEN SOME REPORTS ABOUT OMICRON SUBVARIANTS IN CHINA THAT HAVE LED TO SOME OF THE WORST INFECTIONS IN THAT COUNTRY YET.

HOW CONCERNED SHOULD WE BE ABOUT THAT HERE IN THE UNITED STATES?

>> I DEFINITELY THINK WE NEED TO WATCH WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND THE WORLD, IN PARTICULAR EUROPE, WHICH SEEMS TO BE PREDICTIVE, AT LEAST WITH PREVIOUS WAVES OF WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE UNITED STATES.

UNFORTUNATELY, RIGHT NOW EUROPE DOES SEEM TO BE EXPERIENCING AN UPSWING IN THE NUMBER OF CASES DUE TO THAT SUBVARIANT OF OMICRON, SO-CALLED BA.2.

AND THERE'S ALSO SIGNAL AND WASTEWATER.

THEY'RE DOING WASTEWATER SURVEILLANCE IN THE UNITED STATES IN CERTAIN AREAS AND THERE'S BEEN SOME SIGNAL OF UPTICK IN THE NUMBER OF POSITIVE CASES THERE WITHIN THE WASTEWATER.

THAT COULD BE AN EARLY INDICATOR THAT WE MAY ACTUALLY START TO SEE AN INCREASE IN OUR CASES HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.

THAT BEING SAID, UNPREDICTABLE.

WE DON'T KNOW IF THAT INCREASE WILL BE LARGE.

WE DON'T KNOW IF THIS WILL BE A LARGE WAVE OR IF IT'LL BE A SMALL BLIP COMING UP.

WE REALLY NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND THE WORLD AND THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION JUST ACTUALLY DECLARED YESTERDAY THAT THEY ARE STARTING TO SEE NOW AN INCREASE IN CASES WORLDWIDE, WHICH ACTUALLY HAD BEEN ON THE DOWNSWING FOR THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT AGAIN, WE JUST NEED TO WATCH CLOSELY, BE REALLY FLUID, AND MODIFY OUR PRACTICES ACCORDINGLY.

>> DR. HEWLETT, WE JUST HAVE 30-40 SECONDS LEFT BUT I WANT TO ASK YOU KIND OF A BIG QUESTION.

WHAT ARE THE LESSONS YOU THINK WE HAVE TAKEN AWAY FROM GOING THROUGH TWO YEARS OF THIS PANDEMIC?

>> OH GOSH.

HARD TO EVEN -- I THINK THE UNPREDICTABILITY IS SOMETHING WE HAVE DEFINITELY LEARNED.

PEOPLE THAT HAVE MADE PREDICTIONS ABOUT WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN HAVE BEEN WRONG OFTEN.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE JUST NEED TO, AS I MENTIONED, BE REALLY FLUID AND BE ABLE TO MODIFY PRACTICES ACCORDING TO WHAT IS GOING ON.

WATCH OTHER PLACES IN THE WORLD, WATCH WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE UNITED STATES, WATCH WHAT'S GOING ON IN YOUR LOCAL AREA AND DO YOUR BEST TO, YOU KNOW, PROTECT YOURSELF.

THE BEST WAY WE CAN DO THAT STILL IS TO GET OUR POPULATION VACCINATED.

THE MORE IMMUNITY WE HAVE TO THIS, THE MORE LIKELY IT IS THAT IF WE SEE ONE OF THESE NEW VARIANTS, IT WILL JUST BE ONE OF THOSE BLIPS AS OPPOSED TO A LARGE PEAK LIKE WE SAW IN JANUARY, WHICH ESSENTIALLY SHUTS DOWN A LOT OF THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM AND OTHER ISSUES.

I THINK WE JUST NEED TO WATCH WHAT'S GOING ON.

WE'VE LEARNED THIS IS UNPREDICTABLE.

WE ALL JUST NEED TO PAY ATTENTION AND MODIFY OUR PRACTICES AS WE NEED TO.

>> WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

DOCTOR ANGELA HEWLETT, THE DIRECTOR OF NEBRASKA MEDICINE'S BIOCONTAINMENT UNIT AND ALSO A PROFESSOR AT UNMC.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US ON "SPEAKING OF NEBRASKA."

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> FOR THE LATEST PANDEMIC NEWS, VISIT OUR WEBSITE NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/ CORONAVIRUS.

>>> THIS WEEK HAS BEEN ALL ABOUT THE MONEY IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE.

THE BUDGET HAS BEEN THE FOCUS OF THE DEBATE.

NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA NEWS REPORTER FRED KNAPP COVERS THE UNICAMERAL FOR US.

FRED, THANKS FOR JOINING US AGAIN.

>> PLEASURE.

>> A LOT OF EXTRA MONEY AROUND THIS SESSION, SO WHERE IS THAT GOING?

>> WELL, THEY ARE STARTING WITH ADJUSTMENTS TO THE TWO-YEAR BUDGET THEY PASSED LAST YEAR.

THERE IS MORE MONEY FOR ALL SORTS OF THINGS INCLUDING IMPROVEMENTS TO THE YOUTH REHABILITATION TREATMENT CENTER IN KEARNEY, AN AG BUILDING AT THE UNL CAMPUS, A TRAIL BETWEEN LINCOLN AND OMAHA, INCREASED PAY FOR STATE EMPLOYEES' PROVIDER RATES BUT A LOT OF THE DEBATE HAS BEEN ABOUT THE NEED FOR A NEW PRISON, AND WHETHER OR NOT THAT SHOULD BE BUILT.

SENATOR STEVE LATHROP SAYS THERE MAY WELL BE A NEED FOR CONSTRUCTION, BUT YOU SHOULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT SENTENCING REFORM AND OTHER CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORMS.

>> DIG A LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO SENATOR LATHROP'S ARGUMENT FOR US.

>> THIS IS A CHART THAT HE PROVIDED, WHICH SHOWS THE PROJECTED PRISON POPULATION ON THE ORANGE AND YELLOW LINES.

IN THE MIDDLE IS WHERE THE STATE WOULD BE IF THEY FILLED PRISONS TO 125% OF DESIGNED CAPACITY AND BOTTOM BLUE LINE IS DESIGN CAPACITY.

HIS POINT IS THAT EVEN WITH THE BIG JUMP IN CAPACITY, IF YOU BUILD A NEW PRISON, IT'LL BE OVERCROWDED BY 2030 BY 1300 INMATES.

>> DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A SOLUTION BUT OBVIOUSLY, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT SOLUTIONS.

NOT ONLY FOR PRISONS BUT ALSO FOR OTHER BIG-TICKET ITEMS, AS WELL.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

OTHER THINGS TO BE CONSIDERED ARE THE PROPOSED CANAL, THE PERKINS COUNTY CANAL FROM COLORADO TO BRING WATER INTO NEBRASKA.

GOVERNOR PETE RICKETTS ASKED FOR $500 MILLION.

THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE HAS RECOMMENDED $53.5 MILLION, WHICH INCLUDES A FEASIBILITY STUDY AND LAND PURCHASE OPTIONS, NOT LAND ITSELF.

THE PROPOSAL ALSO, THE OLD COMPACT INCLUDES THE ABILITY FOR NEBRASKA TO ACQUIRE LAND BY EMINENT DOMAIN, EVEN IN COLORADO SO THERE'S THAT.

THERE'S $100 MILLION FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO WATER MARINAS AT LAKE MCCONAUGHEY AND LEWIS AND CLARK LAKE, AND IMPROVEMENTS TO NIOBRARA STATE PARK.

ALL SORTS OF THINGS ARE STILL TO BE CONSIDERED.

>> WE ALREADY KNOW NEXT WEEK IS GOING TO BE A LONG WEEK.

SOME LONG DAYS ARE ALREADY ON THE AGENDA.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS THEY ARE GOING TO BE DIVING INTO NEXT WEEK?

>> THEY'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT HOW TO SPEND THE BILLION DOLLARS IN THE FEDERAL AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT MONEY, OR ARPA.

THERE'S GOING TO BE AN ATTEMPT BY SENATOR ALBRECHT TO BRING HER BILL OUT OF COMMITTEE, WHERE IT IS STUCK, THAT WOULD BAN ABORTION IF THE SUPREME COURT OVERTURNS ROE V. WADE.

FARTHER DOWN THE LINE, THEY STILL HAVE TO TALK ABOUT TAX CUTS, INCLUDING INCOME TAX AND SOCIAL SECURITY TAX CUTS.

>> IS THERE ENOUGH TIME LEFT IN THE SESSION TO DO ALL OF THAT?

>> WELL, THERE'S PROBABLY ENOUGH FOR ALL THOSE THING, BUT ALL SORTS OF THINGS THAT FALL BELOW THAT MIGHT HAVE TO GO BY THE WAYSIDE.

>>> OKAY.

FRED KNAPP WILL KEEP HIS EYE ON THE LEGISLATURE FOR US AND REPORT BACK.

FRED, OBVIOUSLY, KEEPS US INFORMED ON WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE LEGISLATURE EVERY DAY.

LISTEN FOR HIS RADIO UPDATES AT 5:45 AND 7:45 WEEKDAY MORNINGS AND 5:45 IN THE EVENING ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA AND YOU CAN READ HIS STORIES EACH DAY ON OUR WEBSITE AT NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/ NEWS.

>> THAT IS ALL FOR THIS WEEK ON "SPEAKING OF NEBRASKA."

THANKS TO SHER JAN AHMADZAI, MATT MARTIN, AND DR. ANGELA HEWLETT FOR JOINING US AND TO FRED KNAPP FOR HIS REPORTING.

NEXT WEEK, JOIN NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA NEWS FOR A GOVERNOR'S REPUBLICAN PRIMARY DEBATE.

THE DEBATE BEGINS AT 7:00 CT THURSDAY NIGHT.

UNTIL THEN, I'M DENNIS KELLOGG.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

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