HomeMy WebLinkAbout052224 email - Support the U_S_ Refugee Admissions Program in FY25 (0002)ALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
Dear Commissioner Dean,
On behalf of Amnesty International USA and our grassroots members, I am writing to request your signature for a bipartisan letter <https://link.quorum.us/f/a/8kvbwovhxFQg997RRe0ONA~~/AACYXwA~/RgRoMMN
uP0QiaHR0cHM6Ly93ZWxjb21pbmdyZWZ1Z2VlczIwMjUub3JnL1cDc3BjQgpmRoM-TmZBWzyrUhhrZGVhbkBjby5qZWZmZXJzb24ud2EudXNYBAAAAAA~> to President Biden expressing support for the United States Refugee
Admissions Program (USRAP) and calling on him to take steps to preserve and strengthen existing progress and ensure the program remains robust, nimble, and sustainable for years to
come.
The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, a program established unanimously by Congress with bipartisan support under President Reagan, is a vital legal pathway to safety for refugees. Since
1980, this program has offered a chance for people facing persecution because of their political opinions, religious beliefs, race, or nationality to begin their lives anew in safety.
Today, an unprecedented 110 million people are forcibly displaced worldwide, 40 percent of whom are children.
The majority of Americans across the country support refugee resettlement, <https://link.quorum.us/f/a/fqWfJ531C3RI9U-JpkSjzw~~/AACYXwA~/RgRoMMNuP0ShaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGF0YWZvcnByb2dyZXNzLm9yZy9ibG9nLz
IwMjMvNi8yMC92b3RlcnMtYWNyb3NzLXBhcnR5LWxpbmVzLXN0cm9uZ2x5LXN1cHBvcnQtdGhlLXVzLXJlZnVnZWUtcHJvZ3JhbS1lc3BlY2lhbGx5LWlmLXRoZXkta25vdy1zb21lb25lLXdoby1pcy1hLXJlZnVnZWVXA3NwY0IKZkaDPk5mQVs8q1IYa2RlYW5AY
28uamVmZmVyc29uLndhLnVzWAQAAAAA> and many have shown this support by welcoming people seeking safety. Over the last fifteen years, refugees contributed $124 billion <https://link.quorum.us/f/a/U1SkQ
cmbPBbF0zGjlQMmFg~~/AACYXwA~/RgRoMMNuP0SkaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaGhzLmdvdi9hYm91dC9uZXdzLzIwMjQvMDIvMTUvbmV3LWhocy1zdHVkeS1maW5kcy1uZWFybHktMTI0LWJpbGxpb24tcG9zaXRpdmUtZmlzY2FsLWltcGFjdC1yZWZ1Z2Vlcy1hbmQtYX
N5bGVlcy1vbi1hbWVyaWNhbi1lY29ub215LTE1LXllYXItcGVyaW9kLmh0bWxXA3NwY0IKZkaDPk5mQVs8q1IYa2RlYW5AY28uamVmZmVyc29uLndhLnVzWAQAAAAA> to the American economy, including nearly $28 billion
in taxes <https://link.quorum.us/f/a/GxxLtPQQ6QKk2ryRPQahpg~~/AACYXwA~/RgRoMMNuP0Q-aHR0cHM6Ly9tYXAuYW1lcmljYW5pbW1pZ3JhdGlvbmNvdW5jaWwub3JnL2xvY2F0aW9ucy9uYXRpb25hbC9XA3NwY0IKZkaDPk5mQVs8q1IYa2RlYW5
AY28uamVmZmVyc29uLndhLnVzWAQAAAAA> in 2021 alone. As many communities struggle with labor shortages in key professions like teachers, nurses, and doctors, refugees have a critical role
to play in bringing needed talent and expertise in these professions and beyond.
In anticipation of the President’s annual decision on how many refugees the United States can resettle in the upcoming fiscal year, this bipartisan, unbranded letter emphasizes how vital
refugees are to our communities and why we must continue to safeguard this critical pathway for people seeking safety. When the United States takes a leadership role in welcoming refugees,
it is not only doing the morally right thing, but it is also building goodwill among other countries, which is in the national interest.
Join hundreds of elected officials across the country to sign this letter here <https://link.quorum.us/f/a/aQA6bkllfFd2E57rIuLsBw~~/AACYXwA~/RgRoMMNuP0RAaHR0cHM6Ly93ZWxjb21pbmdyZWZ1Z2VlczIwMjUub3JnL2
VsZWN0ZWQtb2ZmaWNpYWxzLXNpZ24tbGV0dGVyL1cDc3BjQgpmRoM-TmZBWzyrUhhrZGVhbkBjby5qZWZmZXJzb24ud2EudXNYBAAAAAA~> . The letter text is also pasted below. The deadline to sign the letter is
Monday, August 23, 2024. Please contact info@refugeeadvocacylab.org <mailto:info@refugeeadvocacylab.org> with any questions. Please also share this campaign with your colleagues using
this social media toolkit <https://link.quorum.us/f/a/gKp5wasCzct3ptbbq2vyTA~~/AACYXwA~/RgRoMMNuP0RgaHR0cHM6Ly9kb2NzLmdvb2dsZS5jb20vZG9jdW1lbnQvZC8xdkFtM0tVUTlwTDFjXzhZZmp4QkVJVnhPYjAtSVhJOVdjQTZFen
VDaHVSay9lZGl0P3VzcD1zaGFyaW5nVwNzcGNCCmZGgz5OZkFbPKtSGGtkZWFuQGNvLmplZmZlcnNvbi53YS51c1gEAAAAAA~~> .
All signatories will be provided the final PDF of the letter, along with a short toolkit on how to amplify your support of refugees, including sample tweets and press release language.
Best,
Amy
Amy Fischer (she/her/ella)
Director, Refugee and Migrant Rights
Amnesty International USA
afischer@aiusa.org <mailto:afischer@aiusa.org>
cell: 202-768-4082
www.amnestyusa.org <https://link.quorum.us/f/a/3il8hmDEc4IRQX45EWbRTA~~/AACYXwA~/RgRoMMNuP0QZaHR0cDovL3d3dy5hbW5lc3R5dXNhLm9yZ1cDc3BjQgpmRoM-TmZBWzyrUhhrZGVhbkBjby5qZWZmZXJzb24ud2EudXNYBAAAAAA~>
<https://link.quorum.us/f/a/d7WJ7pK1L1ByPOtOq9YWcg~~/AACYXwA~/RgRoMMNuP0QaaHR0cDovL3d3dy5hbW5lc3R5dXNhLm9yZy9XA3NwY0IKZkaDPk5mQVs8q1IYa2RlYW5AY28uamVmZmVyc29uLndhLnVzWAQAAAAA>
<https://quorum-media.s3.amazonaws.com/media/uploaded_files/2024-05-22/68bbf619e292bd803755b965cc35c5c6/tMzCwjvSPRPEewp9k6ZD_ZB3T8OKVIU&24894393_LOGO.png>
________________________________
--Letter text below--
Dear Mr. President:
As elected leaders of our communities at all levels of state and local government, we write today to express our strong support for welcoming and resettling refugees in the United States.
We commend efforts to rebuild the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) over the last four years, and we call on your Administration to take steps to preserve and strengthen this
progress and ensure the program remains robust, nimble, and sustainable for years to come.
Representing elected officials from both sides of the aisle, we affirm our commitment to safeguarding USRAP and American values of welcoming people seeking safety. USRAP was formally
established unanimously by Congress during President Reagan’s presidency, enjoying broad bipartisan support. Over the years, the program has welcomed people facing persecution because
of their political opinions, religious beliefs, race, or nationality who now enjoy and uphold the freedoms we hold dear in this country.
As our experience with welcoming Afghans and Ukrainians has shown, U.S. leadership on protecting refugees not only provides a lifeline for those fleeing war, violence, and persecution,
but also creates goodwill among partner nations, advancing our foreign policy, diplomatic, and national security interests. At the local level, we have seen firsthand how refugees enrich
our communities – strengthening our economies and civic institutions. Refugees also bring immense contributions to our economies. According to a recent Health and Human Services report
<https://link.quorum.us/f/a/U1SkQcmbPBbF0zGjlQMmFg~~/AACYXwA~/RgRoMMNuP0SkaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaGhzLmdvdi9hYm91dC9uZXdzLzIwMjQvMDIvMTUvbmV3LWhocy1zdHVkeS1maW5kcy1uZWFybHktMTI0LWJpbGxpb24tcG9zaXRpdmUtZmlz
Y2FsLWltcGFjdC1yZWZ1Z2Vlcy1hbmQtYXN5bGVlcy1vbi1hbWVyaWNhbi1lY29ub215LTE1LXllYXItcGVyaW9kLmh0bWxXA3NwY0IKZkaDPk5mQVs8q1IYa2RlYW5AY28uamVmZmVyc29uLndhLnVzWAQAAAAA> , refugees and asylees
contributed a $124 billion net positive fiscal impact to our economy. Our communities have benefited directly from their contributions: refugees establish businesses, fill labor shortages,
and enrich our cultural and social fabric, ensuring our states – and country – remain economically and socially vibrant.
The international community faces a forced migration crisis of historic proportions. We must offer bold leadership and innovative solutions and join other nations by doing our part.
The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) recently reported that an unprecedented 110 million people are forcibly displaced worldwide, 40 percent of whom are children. Among them, UNHCR
estimates that 2.4 million refugees need urgent access to resettlement this year, but less than one percent are afforded this chance.
We continually hear from our constituents that they believe in and support refugee resettlement <https://link.quorum.us/f/a/5WHgBheSjPyBdcgbPq86bg~~/AACYXwA~/RgRoMMNuP0SdaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucmVmdWdlZWFkd
m9jYWN5bGFiLm9yZy9yZXNvdXJjZXMvYS1zdHJvbmctbWFqb3JpdHktb2YtYW1lcmljYW5zLXN1cHBvcnQtdGhlLXVzLXJlZnVnZWUtcHJvZ3JhbS1lc3BlY2lhbGx5LXdoZW4tdGhleS1rbm93LXNvbWVvbmUtd2hvLWlzLWEtcmVmdWdlZVcDc3BjQgpmRoM-TmZB
WzyrUhhrZGVhbkBjby5qZWZmZXJzb24ud2EudXNYBAAAAAA~> . From greeting refugee families at the airport to assisting with English language classes or navigating bus lines, our communities
stand for welcome.
As state and local elected leaders, we aspire to make our communities places where newcomers have an equal chance to contribute and thrive. We have championed policies such as workforce
development studies and reducing unnecessary occupational barriers so that skilled refugees can more easily join the workforce. As many communities struggle with labor shortages in
key professions like teachers, nurses, and doctors, refugees have a critical role to play in filling staffing gaps.
Together, we can and must do more. With greater federal support, our communities stand ready to welcome refugees who want to restart their lives in safety. Safeguarding USRAP requires
a multi-year commitment to invest in the refugee resettlement infrastructure to ensure the program remains sustainable for years to come. Our cities and states need greater coordination
and support from the federal government so that newcomers have access to programs and services that help them succeed in their new homes. We are calling on your administration to double
down on the investment of resources necessary to build a robust resettlement program that can withstand external pressures, refugee emergencies, and political transitions.
We are better and stronger because of refugees and their families. As state and local elected officials, we call on you to protect our nation’s standing as a leader in welcoming refugees
by ensuring the refugee resettlement program is resourced, robust, and sustainable for years to come.
We hope that you will consider our strong desire to welcome refugees as you make your determination.
Sincerely,
Unsubscribe <https://link.quorum.us/f/a/kM8ymPK42Rzn4IXgWcDP6Q~~/AACYXwA~/RgRoMMNuP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucXVvcnVtLnVzL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlLzM4MTYwNS96WnNaUkRyY056bnpEeURSWHdMNmVoTVN6ZzRCamNwOVMxelIyazVkZkxne
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<https://link.quorum.us/q/YmCZOqeO02NLvSNm6WeJKQ~~/AACYXwA~/RgRoMMNuPlcDc3BjQgpmRoM-TmZBWzyrUhhrZGVhbkBjby5qZWZmZXJzb24ud2EudXNYBAAAAAA~>
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