National Leaders Call for Immediate Restart of Refugee Resettlement Program
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WASHINGTON—In a press briefing today, national leaders shared an urgent call for the restart of the U.S. refugee resettlement program, which has been suspended since the first day of the Trump presidency on January 20.
A 90-day report on the future of the program was due on April 20, but there has been no indication whether that report was delivered to the president.
To mark this moment, leaders from across the country shared reflections on the critical role of the refugee program in advancing U.S. values and interests and its benefit to U.S. communities and the economy:
“America is a nation built by immigrants, and Pittsburgh is no exception,” said Mayor Ed Gainey. “Immigrants and refugees have long been the backbone of our economic growth and cultural strength. It’s time to revitalize the refugee resettlement program—without delay. We must honor the legacy of this country by continuing to welcome those seeking a better life, just as we’ve done for generations. Here in Pennsylvania, more than 54,000 refugees have found a home—and with them, they’ve brought talent, resilience, and economic vitality. This isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s essential to the continued prosperity and security of our city, our Commonwealth, and our nation.”
“Participating in this news conference today as a Catholic in the wake of the death of Pope Francis, I think it is an important moment to reflect on his legacy,” said Attorney General of New Mexico Raúl Torrez. “At its core, I continue to believe that the American people are very generous people, which is why we have such strong support for helping refugees from across the world. And one of the things that we should always be mindful of is how we would wish to be treated if we were a stranger at the door. That is something that is foundational to my faith tradition and to so many faith traditions from around the world. And we are made better and stronger by integrating that into who we are, by showing how great and strong we are by helping those who need it the most. And that’s why I’m willing to support and defend this program, to continue to advocate for the rights of refugees and the dispossessed. I think it’s what makes America truly great, and it should be a centerpiece of our foreign policy, our national policy, and our moral calling in the next century.”
“Refugees have been a blessing, not a burden to the U.S.,” said President of HIAS Mark Hetfield. “As you might recall, in his first refugee ban issued in January of 2017 President Trump commissioned a study to demonstrate just how much resettled refugees cost the American taxpayer. He never released that study, probably because it found that over a 10 year period, refugees actually contributed $63 billion – with a B – more in taxes than they cost federal, state, and local governments in services and assistance. The Biden administration then repeated that study and found that over a 15-year period, resettled refugees made a net fiscal contribution of $124 billion to the United States, their adopted homeland. And at HIAS we welcome refugees as a Jewish agency, because we know, as the attorney general alluded to, from the Torah and from our history as a refugee people, that turning our backs on refugees is turning our backs on ourselves and on Jewish and American values.”
“USRAP opens doors that would have otherwise remained closed, and I’ve dedicated my life to making sure that those doors stay open for others as well,” said Aisha Koroma, Refugee Congress Delegate for Washington, D.C., Assistant Director of Social Integration at HIAS, and a resettled refugee from Sierra Leone. “But I’m just one story. There’s so many Aisha’s out there, including those still in transit, children and families waiting for safety, for stability, and for a chance to rebuild. USRAP is more than a program. It represents lives, dreams, resilience, hope. It is a gateway for future changemakers, doctors, engineers, artists, trades people. People who are ready and eager to become assets to America’s workforce and to contribute meaningfully to its economy and communities. Pausing this program doesn’t just delay paperwork. It delays possibilities. It ensures tragedies. It tears families apart, and it leaves people vulnerable. But most importantly, it sends a painful message that America is closing its doors, not only to those who need it most, but also those who fill jobs, those who open stores, and people who sat on our school boards. It is a loss for all. For my family, and my refugee community, and so many others, USRAP meant safety, dignity, and the opportunity to truly live and not just survive. It gave us a future when the world had closed in. And I really, really hope that we never, ever lose sight of that.”
“The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program didn’t break. It’s being broken – on purpose – by people who’d rather look tough on immigration than do the hard work of leading,” said Shawn VanDiver, Founder and President, #AfghanEvac and U.S. veteran. “So let me say this to the administration as plainly as I can: You don’t get to say you support vulnerable people and refugees while pulling the plug on their lifeline. You don’t get to thank veterans while ignoring our pleas to finish this mission, and you definitely don’t get to campaign on moral leadership while abandoning the very people who believed in America…. We need a government that keeps its promises, a government that people can trust. To the press, please do not let this story fade. To members of Congress, step in, use your oversight power, call this what it is. And to the administration, there’s still time to fix this. There’s still time to keep your word. But not much. Time is running out, and the moment for action is now.”
“In Erie, our critical resettlement agencies are in imminent danger from the ongoing freeze at the federal level,” said Brandon Mendoza, President/CEO, Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership. “This has been a lifeline to Erie County, and has helped reinvigorate our county…. In the short term, we’re working to shore up these agencies and support them, but long term, we need the federal government to restart this program and to start to fund those organizations that are on the ground doing the work. What we’ve seen, and what we know, is that every day that they do not, our regions and our local cities and municipalities and school districts – they’re going to be the ones that are going to pick up the tab at the local level.”
“The refugee program has signified a space of refuge and hope for the world as a beacon of light for democracy,” Rev. Noel Andersen, National Field Director at Church World Service, United Church of Christ. “Now, because of the increased discriminatory attacks on all immigrants, including refugees, we’re in a dire place for this program, even as it is clearly represented in our laws written by Congress, and with a recent court order to resume the refugee program. Yet that has not happened, and now our own democracy is in danger. Still, we come today with hope. Hope that a movement of people of conscience and people of faith will continue to grow to ensure that this democracy continues to bloom, and that the refugee resettlement program will continue to thrive.”
“We are here today to emphasize that the actions of the Administration do not represent the best interests of our country,” said Kate Brick, Executive Director of the Refugee Advocacy Lab. “To speak to Secretary Rubio’s priorities, they do not make us safer, stronger, or more prosperous, and they are out of step with what Americans want. We know from our own polling that a majority of likely voters believe the United States should have a refugee resettlement program. In the last several months, groups across the country have made this case – more than 300 state and local elected officials from both sides of the aisle; hundreds of faith-based organizations; and thousands of people nationwide have publicly called for the immediate restart of this program. We joined today with leaders from these communities to help paint a clear, tangible picture of what these policy changes have meant on the ground, and why it is critical that the administration reverse course.
Watch the press conference here.
View the transcript here.
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Organizing partners: Refugees International, Church World Service, Refugee Advocacy Lab, HIAS, Refugee Council USA, Refugee Congress, International Refugee Assistance Project
For media inquiries, contact Refugees International’s Media Manager Etant Dupain at edupain@refugeesinternational.org.
Additional Resources:
Defend Refuge letter from +300 bipartisan state and local elected officials calling on the Trump administration to restart the resettlement program.
Ecumenical Declaration from faith leaders urging the administration to reverse policies that deny refugees and immigrants the chance to seek safety in the United States.