The top elected leaders in City and County government say Syracuse and Onondaga County stand ready as partners “to bring as many of our Afghan allies out of harm as possible and in to a welcoming and nurturing community.” Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh, Onondaga County Executive J. Ryan McMahon II, Syracuse Common Council President Helen Hudson, County Legislature Chair Dave Knapp, County Legislature Minority Leader Linda Ervin and Council Minority Leader Joe Carni delivered the message in a recent letter to President Joe Biden.

“Our nation made a promise to the brave Afghans that stepped forward to protect our military, diplomatic, and NGO personnel in Afghanistan. Now is the time to keep our promise by evacuating our allies and finding safe places for them to live and thrive in the United States,” the leaders said in the letter to the White House.

Read the full text of the letter here.