Time for America to Recognize Refugees on More Than

Just One Day of the Year

By Kate Ayers, Executive Director, ReEstablish Richmond.

Central American migrants in Irapuato, Mexico, on their way to the United States in April of 2018. Edgard Garrido/Reuters

On June 20, many Americans will find themselves celebrating the World Refugee Day marked

on their calendars. These people will sleep a little sounder knowing they honored the courage

and resilience of refugees. To some, participating in the United Nations (UN) annual event may

be exhausting, but fortunately, no one must acknowledge those problems for another year. That

is, everyone but the 25.4 million refugees who aren’t privileged enough to escape those daily

struggles.

The UN defines a refugee as “persons who are outside their country of origin for reasons of

feared persecution, conflict, generalized violence, or other circumstances that have seriously

disturbed public order and, as a result, require international protection.”

World Refugee Day’s annual tradition began in 2001, marking the 50th anniversary of the 1951

Refugee Convention. The refugee population was at an estimated 12 million back then. Now, the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports almost double the numbers

with 25.4 million refugees across the globe.

25,400,000 people. You are looking at more than some collected statistic. You are staring at the

representation of human beings forced to abandon everything they know in order to live.

25,400,000 people are fleeing their homes to get away from civil wars, break loose from

religious persecution and escape hunger.

Here’s a fact to put the problem in perspective: the state of Texas has a population of 28 million

people. Imagine 90 percent of Texas in total chaos, dealing with the issues refugees face. Now

let’s say over half of these Texans are under the age of 18 -- children.

Borders are the only thing that makes this scenario different from the real one. Are these poor

hypothetical Texans worth more than the other human lives not privileged to be born inside our

arbitrary lines? Ask yourself if you are genuinely compassionate about the people of this world

or just the ones we choose to allow inside our bubble.

America has turned her back on people who have lost everything. How can she not lend a hand

of empathy and understanding? How is it that refugee numbers have increased, but the number

we allow in goes in the opposite direction?

It’s because America has become too focused on where these refugees are going rather than what

they’re running from. President Trump and his administration have drastically decreased the

annual refugee ceiling to 45,000 for the fiscal year of 2018. This is the lowest number since the

program began and it’s estimated that the U.S. won’t even take half the quota in. The
administration also oversaw strict policies on people coming from Iraq, Iran, Somalia, and Syria,

causing refugees from these countries to drop from 41 to 2 percent in 2017.

If you are lucky enough to be the preferred refugee choice, the U.S. you passage through a

screening process that can take an average of 18-24 months. The rigorous background checks

and interviews are only the beginning for these refugees, as the real challenge lies in navigating a

country that has no real intention of helping them.

These people never imagined themselves seeking safety in a country where they know little

about the language and culture.

After being resettled in the U.S., refugees are granted work visas and are encouraged to find

employment. Many find that without the right skills, permission is useless when it comes to

earning a living or finding housing.

That’s why ReEstablish Richmond is on a mission to present refugees with the proper resources

to succeed in finding jobs and housing. We provide tools like language courses, driving lessons,

and connections to other resettlement agencies. We never turn our backs on people in need,

especially the ones who will help make the community we love a better place.

As June 20th draws closer, use the time to call attention to the severity of this worldwide issue.

Then spend the rest of the year standing in solidarity with those who must leap over hurdles

every day.

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ReEstablish Richmond is a nonprofit organization created to help alleviate the burden of the

resettlement process for refugees and to support the agencies that serve them.