The Biden administration notified governors and mayors on Wednesday of the number of Afghan evacuees their state is expected to receive in the coming weeks, two senior administration officials told Axios.
Why it matters: Although their exact immigration pathway is still unclear, an initial group of 37,000 Afghans will soon be headed to states across the country after many faced harrowing journeys from Afghanistan.
Former Delaware Gov. Jack Markell (D), who President Biden appointed on Friday to oversee Afghan resettlement, made calls to state and local leaders notifying them on the number of Afghans to expect.
In conversations with nearly every state on Wednesday, not one official declined to take in Afghans, one senior administration official told Axios. "I have to say it was a very warm conversation with state and local leaders."
By the numbers: California is projected to receive the largest number of Afghans at 5,255. Next is Texas, at 4,481, according to State Department data obtained by Axios.
Hawaii, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wyoming are the only states not slated to receive anyone from the first group of evacuees, along with Washington, D.C.
Related Coverage
AllSides Picks
Headline Roundup
USAID Report Claims Over 100 UNRWA Employees Participated in October 7 Attacks
August 28th, 2026
Headline Roundup
Is Mojtaba Khamenei Still Alive?
August 26th, 2026
Red Blue Translator
Arab Spring
Bias
Will Data Centers Create Blackouts? Examining Media Bias and Misinformation on The Tucker Carlson Show
Julie Mastrine
August 28th, 2026