Amid the crush of news today, I'd like to take a moment to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the #RefugeeActof1980, a monumental feat of bipartisan effort that cemented the US as a leader in resettling refugees fleeing violence and persecution. 1/7
"It's not just about refugees, it's about who we are," says @HIASrefugees President & CEO @MarkJHetfield. Ronald Reagan echoed this: "More than any other country, our strength comes from our own immigrant heritage and our capacity to welcome those from other lands." 2/7
So who are we? From the founding of our Republic to—more recently—Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George Bush and Barack Obama, American presidents have recognized the importance of providing some of the world’s most vulnerable people safe sanctuary. 3/7
Yet we've gone from welcoming 232,000 refugees to resettle in the US in 1980 to 100,000 in 2017 to a mere 18,000 this year—even though more refugees than ever before are in need in need of a safe place to live. 4/7 pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019…
Despite this administration’s attempts to decimate refugee resettlement, state and local leaders across the political spectrum are stepping up. 5/7 niskanencenter.org/in-their-own-w… #RefugeesWelcome
#COVID19 will pass and the quarantine will end. The American spirit of welcoming, of opening our doors to those in need, will endure. Because that’s who we are. 6/7
#40YearsOfWelcome
#40YearsOfWelcome
Here’s to 40 years of the #RefugeeActof1980. May we soon regain our place as a beacon of hope and safety for refugees around the world. 7/7
