New York, NY, September 14, 2018 — This fiscal year, the United States has welcomed the lowest number of refugees in the history of the modern program. In the decades since the U.S. refugee resettlement program began, communities have warmly welcomed our clients— volunteering their time and energy to help newly arrived refugees adjust and integrate into their new lives. Now these communities are speaking up to demand that the Administration increase refugee admissions.
Each year the President consults with Congress and agency leaders to determine how many refugees the United States will accept in the year to come. Founded in
1980, the US Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) has historically enjoyed bipartisan support at all levels of government- setting a refugee admissions ceiling of 95,000 refugees on average, since its inception, to admit throughout U.S. communities. Now the world is facing the largest refugee crisis with over 25 million people forced from their home countries due to persecution for their race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a social group. For fiscal year 2018 the Administration committed to resettle only 45,000, the lowest refugee admissions ceiling since the program began, but is actually on pace to resettle no more than 21,000 refugees. Local communities know that this is not the time for the US to retreat from our promises.
Our communities not only believe in refugee resettlement, they have come to rely on our clients to build and sustain their communities. They know that refugees are eager to rebuild their lives here in the U.S. Refugees are part of the backbone of our economy - often taking jobs that Americans don’t want. They buy homes and start businesses which reinfuse local tax bases. Community leaders are increasingly making their voices heard in support of resettlement. For example, over 250 bipartisan state, county and municipal leaders have signed onto a letter demanding that the Administration set the Presidential Determination at 75,000 for FY2019.
Earlier this year, for World Refugee Day, communities across our network issued proclamations and resolutions declaring their support for refugees and resettlement, including: Charlottesville City Council (VA); Dekalb County (GA); Tallahassee Mayor (FL); Dallas Mayor (TX); City of Abilene (TX); Wichita City Council (KS); Colorado Lt. Governor (pictured); and City of Plano (TX).
In addition, legislators New Jersey and California both filed resolutions recognizing the history of resettlement within their states and reaffirming their commitment to resettlement moving forward. Washington Governor Jay Inslee drafted a letter calling attention to the particularly low arrivals and demanding that the Administration swiftly begin resettling refugees.
These statements of support affirm the welcoming commitment of resettlement communities. Refugees thrive and integrate with the assistance of volunteers, donors, and community leaders who are standing up to demand that the United States government protect this valuable program.