Afghan evacuees are arriving in Houston. Here's what you need to know and how to help.

As the Taliban reestablishes control in Afghanistan, many Afghan allies of the U.S. military have been attempting to leave their country to escape retaliation and immediate danger since Sunday. Here are things that you need to know about Afghan evacuees coming to Houston: Evacuees already here Since the Taliban's occupation of Kabul, there have been 100 Afghan evacuees relocated to Houston from Fort Lee in Virginia, according to Kimberly Haynes, executive director of the South Texas Office of Refugees. Haynes also said that another 100 evacuees will be arriving to the city in the next week. Special Immigration Visas According to the South Texas Office of Refugees, there have been 11,790 Afghans who have relocated to Houston since 2009 with more than 90 percent of them holding Special Immigrant Visas. These visas are granted to individuals who assisted the U.S. military in Afghanistan and Iraq. Many of them served in interpreter roles. 'THE BEST PERSON': Houston-area Afghan interpreter mourns sister shot to death in Afghanistan For these evacuees, the application process to obtain an SIV can take up to a decade to complete, requires letters of support from U.S. officials as well as proof that the applicant's life is in danger. As recently as June, approximately 18,000 applicants who were interpreters were still waiting for their SIVs to be processed. Roadblocks Additionally, there have been physical barriers for Afghans trying to leave the country. Gunfire at the airport halted commercial airline flights out of the Afghan capital, with those looking to escape having to get on U.S. military flights to do so. Due to this, many evacuees with legitimate claims to come to the U.S. may now need to go to third countries before being able to reach their new destinations. GRIEDER: Houston should be ready to welcome Afghan refugees Organizations that are helping There are five local refugee organizations that help Afghan evacuees who relocate to the city. They are the YMCA International Services, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, The Alliance, Refugee Services of Texas and Interfaith Ministries of Galveston-Houston. Aside from volunteering or financial donations, some of these organizations also have wish lists for supplies like kitchenware or linens to help clients establish a new home. We want to foster conversation and highlight the intersection of race, identity and culture in one of America's most diverse cities. Sign up for the HouWeAre newsletter here. joel.umanzor@chron.com

Afghan evacuees are arriving in Houston. Here's what you need to know and how to help.

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