{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://hern.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=445", "Hern demands answers from Biden Admin on Afghan refugees headed to Oklahoma", "2021-10-22", "2021", "2021-10", "Republican", "House", "OK", "Kevin Hern", "H001082", "hern.house.gov", "hern", "https://hern.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01) sent a letter to President Joe Biden yesterday asking several questions regarding the 1,800 Afghan refugees sent to Oklahoma.\n\nOklahoma is set to receive the 3rd largest number of refugees in the country.\n\nThe letter can be found here and below.\n\nOctober 21, 2021\n\nPresident Joseph R. Biden\n\nThe White House\n\n1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW\n\nWashington, D.C. 20500\n\nDear President Biden,\n\nI write with growing concern over the lack of transparency you Administration has demonstrated over the past several months. There has been an influx of migrants in the U.S. and now a frantic relocation of Afghan refugees around our country, with Oklahoma receiving the third highest amount in the nation.\n\nAs you know, my home state of Oklahoma received 1,800 Afghan refugees, eight hundred of them relocating in Tulsa. An honorable and effective plan to protect our allies should be adopted. However, we cannot ignore basic vetting processes for any immigrants migrating to our country, which is exactly what happened during the chaotic withdrawal in Afghanistan. In order to protect our homeland and my constituents in Oklahoma, I request answers to the following questions that have come directly from the people of Oklahoma\u2019s First District.\n\nWhat are the numbers of refugees the U.S. and Oklahoma have received to-date?\n\nHow many more refugees are expected in the U.S. and Oklahoma by the end of the year?\n\nWhat is the amount of federal taxpayer dollars allocated to Oklahoma to assist these refugees?\n\nWhat is the amount of taxpayer dollars Oklahoma is expected to provide out of the state budget to assist these refugees?\n\nWhat, if any, federal benefits are these refugees receiving?\n\nHow has your administration determined where the refugees are going and how many each state will receive?\n\nWhere are these refugees being housed across Oklahoma?\n\nHow many, if any, are being housed at U.S. military bases?\n\nIf so, are they allowed to leave the bases?\n\nWhat is the current vetting process of these refugees?\n\nWere these refugees vetted for any sort of ties to extremism or criminal records?\n\nIf not, what will be the operating procedure to handle the extent of vetting?\n\nOf the 800 families going to Tulsa, how many are U.S. interpreters vs. family members or other refugees?\n\nOf the 1,800 in Oklahoma, what is this count?\n\nAre all individuals in Oklahoma in possession of a Special Immigrant Visa?\n\nIf not, how many?\n\nI appreciate your swift response and look forward to receiving your answers.\n\nSincerely,\n\nKevin Hern\n\nMember of Congress\n\nCc: Secretary Mayorkas, Secretary Blinken\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:24:51Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://hern.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=445"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.3308171182870865, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}