Several years ago, I wrote something I hoped I’d never have to write again. But here I am writing it… again: President Trump has issued an executive order suspending our U.S. refugee resettlement program.
Here’s what I wrote the last time:
“On the day we Americans remembered the horrors of the Holocaust and marched for the unborn, we shut our gates on the refugees of the world. Late on Friday President Trump, issuing an executive order, effectively did just that.”
What the President did back then was suspend the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) for 120 days in what he called a “reset”. What he is doing this time is a 90-day shutdown, with extensions already built in.
Back then, he worked his entire first term to dismantle this long-standing, effective, and highly secure program that had long had bipartisan support and extensive engagement of faith communities. Now he is planning, or so it seems, to do the same. It was a Day One priority for him, after all.
Back then I was overseeing operations for the Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon that settles refugees with the help of Church World Service (CWS), provides legal assistance, and assists them with ongoing concerns as they assimilate into life in the Pacific Northwest. Now I’m serving on the board of another resettlement agency – Salem for Refugees, this one in partnership with World Relief (WR).*
Back then, we had to let go of veteran case workers who really knew how to do their job and do it well. It took years to rebuild that team – as a result we were much less prepared for the rush of Afghan and Ukrainian refugees that came during those rebuilding years. Now local agencies are better prepared mostly because they’re less likely to be taken by surprise.
Back then, refugees were preparing to board planes, a handful of belongings in hand, only to be turned away at overseas airports. Many of those who didn’t make it then are still in limbo. Now again refugees are at airports, tickets in hand, or somewhere in the pipeline, only to learn they cannot come.
Back then I watched as family members in Ukraine were told they could not board their plane to meet relatives here in Oregon. Now I watch as a local resettlement staff member must inform a wife that the husband she has been waiting 6 years to be reunited with will have to wait a while longer.
Back then, I saw the devastating effect the reset had on refugees in Central Africa and Southeast Asia – many of whom still remain unsustainably stuck in makeshift camps. Now I am watching as Afghans who supported US efforts wait in the shadow of the Taliban as their door of hope slams shut.
Back then I watched as this very effective refugee global vetting and processing operation ground to a halt and was dismantled. Now I watch as the network that took years to rebuild grinds to a halt and is dismantled once more.
Back then I watched as the first Trump administration tried to shut down all the faith-based and other local resettlement agencies in the country. I watched as scores and scores of local agencies across the nation shuttered their doors – federal approval revoked and/or funding run out and staff laid off. Our local agency was on the chopping block as well.
But I didn’t just watch; I and others were on the phone to our governor, U.S. senators, and leaders of our state legislature. We connected with sister agencies, local government leaders, area foundations, individual volunteers and donors, all in an attempt to salvage what we could. With community-wide engagement we came out of that dark time, doubling the number of local agencies resettling refugees in Oregon. Meanwhile, a former refugee has become Oregon’s new state Senate Majority Leader.
Now I wait to see what will happen this time around. How long can local agencies survive? Some have worked to build in auxiliary funding from state and private sources. But the refugees they resettle can enter the U.S. only through the federal government’s USRAP door. If the president shuts that door, no refugee can get to Oregon, no matter what we do.
Am I angry? Yes. Am I disappointed? You betcha. Am I giving up? No way.
I am not giving up because…
I am aware many other believers across our nation share these same values and concerns – and they are rising to the challenge.
I trust that other believers who are unaware of what is happening will join us in this fight once they discover what is at stake.
I know lives really are at stake.
We may or may not be able to change the President’s mind. After all, the dismantling of the U.S. refugee program has been a consistent priority from the beginning of his first term. However, there is much else we can do – just like we did the last time.
What can you do?
- Sign petitions. Here’s the World Relief statement I’ve already signed. Make your voice heard.
2. Call your congressional delegation, your governor, the leaders of your state legislature, and your local government officials. Call them and tell them how much the plight of the refugees means to you, their constituent.
3. Contact your local resettlement agency to see how you can help them. Wherever you live, chances are you’ll find not too far away a local agency partner of one of the national nonprofits (Volags, they call them) who settle refugees. Contact them. Tell them you appreciate what they do. Ask them what you can do. Likely they are scrambling right now, just like they did back then. They need to know you are standing with them.
They need to know you are contacting your Congressional delegation and governor on their behalf. They need to know you are ready to volunteer to help. And they need to know you’ll support them financially – both now to bridge the gap during this crisis and ongoing to keep them serving those who are so vulnerable.
4. Mobilize others. Several years ago, friends of mine moved to Kosovo to serve a country in great need. For family reasons they had to return after only one year. They were devastated they couldn’t follow God’s call in Kosovo. But as they returned to Oregon, God gave them a vision to work with refugees arriving here. They’ve gathered an amazing team of hundreds of volunteers to settle refugees in our town from all over the world. Today I am honored to serve on the board of this wonderful agency. OUR STORY | Salemforrefugees
5. Pray. Pray that a renewed vision for refugees will infuse our land from our President on down. Pray that Christians will remember that Jesus calls us to lay down our lives, not close our doors out of fear or self-interest. Pray our resettlement workers will be able to continue to do the work God has called them to do. And pray for all the refugees facing most uncertain futures!
6. Tell me you’re on board. Go to this page and let me know what you plan to do. You will greatly encourage this heart of mine.
When the President issued his Executive Order on Monday, my mind returned to the story of Jewish refugees denied entry to our nation during World War II. In 1939, our President refused to admit over 900 Jewish refugees who had sailed from Germany aboard the MS St. Louis. Denied permission to disembark in the U.S., their ship was forced to return to Europe. Great Britain, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium agreed to accept some of the passengers as refugees. 254 of them are known to have died in the Holocaust. Watch the video of one survivor’s story: The Jewish refugees the US turned away – BBC News
This is why I take this work seriously. Only 1% of all refugees in the world make it to a safe third country. I don’t know how we could help them all, but I know we can do our part. Today we have some of those 1% waiting desperately, already vetted, just outside our doors. And we have hundreds of local offices, thousands of staff workers, and tens of thousands of volunteers ready to welcome them.
There is one more thing you can do:
- Share this post with all your friends. Share it far and wide. Get the word out.
Thank you very much!
I’ll be posting more on this situation as it unfolds – to stay informed, sign up here.
This Monday, January 27, is the International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz; here is what I recently wrote about that anniversary: Eighty years on, “never again” is not working.
*CWS and WR are 2 of the 10 official national resettlement agencies – 8 of them are faith-based – tasked with working with USRAP. USRAP is managed by the Department of State in cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Health and Human Services. After consulting with Congress, the President determines the number of refugees to be admitted annually. For more information, see Refugee Admissions – United States Department of State.
Photo: Jewish passengers on the ill-fated MS St. Louis
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