B Stands for Being Committed
In January, President Trump signed an executive order that suspended refugee resettlement in the United States in order to reassess the program. Since then, refugees fleeing persecution and war, who have waited years to be resettled and have gone through a thorough vetting process, as well as refugee resettlement agencies, have waited and scrambled to do what they can to find alternative options for people needing protection.
On Monday, a group of 59 white South Africans arrived in the United States, resettled as refugees by the Trump Administration due to claims of
racial discrimination and violence. As we learn more about the cases of these Afrikaners, we need to remember the thousands of refugees around the world waiting in the pipeline who are in vulnerable situations. Many have already been vetted and approved but not resettled despite court orders that the administration
do so.
This week, the National Immigration Forum, reiterated our stance that the United States needs to uphold its values and commitment to refugees and other vulnerable immigrants, like Afghans. Last month, the Forum began a webinar series called Security and… which sheds light on how we don’t have to choose between security and other values and priorities that are important to Americans. The first webinar in the series was "Security and Compassion," which included a discussion on the importance of protecting refugee resettlement. Compassion is a value we must uphold as we look for solutions to outdated and broken immigration policies.
Suspending refugee resettlement, stripping humanitarian protections, and denying help to people who have waited for years, respected the process, and (most importantly) simply need protection, is not compassionate. The foundation of this country is one of welcome and refuge, and we cannot compromise on this. I urge you to continue speaking up for what is right and compassionate. Join us in advocating here.
Stay committed and hopeful,
Allison Bassett
Field and Constituencies Manager
National Immigration Forum
P.S. Please join us for the second webinar in our Security and… series, "Security and the Rule of Law" on Monday, May 19 at 2pm ET, which you can register for here. We’ll continue the discussion by hearing from law enforcement and national security experts about how we can uphold security while fostering community partnerships and preserving the constitutional right to due process. We hope you’ll join us!
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