Every September, the President determines the number of refugees the United States will welcome in the upcoming fiscal year. Ahead of this year’s presidential determination, we are asking state and local elected leaders across the country to sign a public letter calling on President Biden to invest further in the resettlement program and ensure that it is ready to withstand external pressures, refugee emergencies, and political transitions for years to come. Our goal is to gather signatures from all 50 states – building a network of elected leaders across the country and on both sides of the aisle who support welcoming refugees.
We are asking you to TAKE ACTION and reach out to your mayor, city council members, state legislators, and governors to show the President that our communities support welcoming refugees.
The need for resettlement has never been more urgent. An unprecedented 110 million people are forcibly displaced worldwide, 40 percent of whom are children. Among them, the UN Refugee Agency estimates that 2.4 million refugees need urgent access to resettlement this year. But less than one percent are afforded this chance.
It’s time to do more. State and local elected leaders have a powerful role to play urging the President to invest further in the refugee resettlement program.
TAKE ACTION TODAY:
- Contact your state and local elected officials! Click here to send an automated message.
- Share this campaign! Encourage people in your network to get involved by using this toolkit and the hashtag #ProtectRefuge.
The majority of Americans across the country support refugee resettlement, and many have shown this support by welcoming people seeking safety. Over the last 15 years, refugees contributed $124 billion to the American economy, including nearly $28 billion in taxes in 2021 alone. As many communities struggle with labor shortages in key professions like teachers, nurses, and doctors, refugees play a critical role in bringing needed talent and expertise in these professions and beyond.
In anticipation of the presidential determination, 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.
Thank you for raising your voice to welcome more refugees!