Restore the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program

Dear Editor,

What could be a more iconic symbol of America than the Statue of Liberty? She is “a mighty woman with a torch…and her name is Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand glows world-wide welcome…” And her words: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” (Quotations from The New Colossus, written in 1883 by Emma Lazarus, and placed on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty in 1903.)

Among Pres. Trump’s Day 1 actions was this: He put an indefinite pause on the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, which was quickly followed by cancellation of travel for refugees who had already been approved to come to the U.S.

At that moment, approximately 10,000 people were in the refugee entry “pipeline” – in other words, these are the very people who have made every effort to “get in line,” follow the rules and come to the U.S. “the right way.” Their hopes and dreams and plans–for safety, for a better life, for reuniting with family members already here–have been shattered. How can we claim that people can or should come to the U.S. “the right way” – if even the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program has been shut down, and the people who followed the rules and met the criteria have been turned away?

I encourage you to visit GlobalRefuge.org. Read the real-life stories of refugees. Learn the facts so you can push back against myths and disinformation you may be hearing about refugees and immigrants. Donate to support their work. Use their advocacy tools to contact your elected officials in support of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.

Jennifer Williamson

Dodgeville, WI