Amidst the pain and grief following Friday’s unspeakable tragedy in Paris, a wave of nativism threatens our nation’s identity and integrity. Leading lawmakers are calling for drastic damage to our refugee resettlement program, some openly demanding a policy of systematized religious discrimination against Muslim refugees. More than two dozen governors have affirmed - without any legal authority to do so - that they will not allow Syrian refugees to resettle in their states. These are expressions of fear and hatred. But ours is and must remain a country of tolerance and compassion.
At the Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights Coalition we advocate for immigrants to remain lawfully in the United States. Our clients are almost always detained for some or all of their time working with us. At the end of a case, our clients frequently express their gratitude to the United States, the country that has provided them and their family a safe haven. We are grateful too, to live and work in a nation that has the Statue of Liberty standing as a beacon to those in need. Yet the conversation unfolding in today’s newspapers does not reflect our national history and our values. If we cannot open our doors and our hearts to children, men, and women fleeing violence most of us cannot ourselves begin to imagine, who are we?
Because we are immigrant advocates we do a lot of thinking about our nation’s refugee and immigration law and policies. We frequently reflect on why it is vital to our national character and our national interest to provide a welcome to those who have nowhere else to go. We understand, too, the myriad screening procedures that are an integral part of the refugee system and the domestic asylum system.
Join us in talking about these issues. Talk about them at home, at work, at dinner, in the park, with your friends, your families, your co-workers.
Start with these two questions:
What American values are implicated by our refugee policy?
What would it mean to you if the United States closed its doors to refugees?
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Use the hashtag #refugeeswelcome.
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For more information, read the Sign-on Letter sent by the ACLU and numerous refugee and immigration law experts and human rights groups urging members of Congress to oppose proposals limiting the U.S. refugee resettlement program.
