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Faith leaders, humanitarian organizations, refugees, members of Congress, and resettlement organizations gathered in Lafayette Square in front of the White House to express opposition to the Trump administration's Executive Order suspending the refugee resettlement program indefinitely. The event took place on February 4 and aimed to show solidarity and compassion for those affected by the suspension.
The Executive Order is part of a broader strategy by the Trump administration to dismantle the refugee resettlement program. This move contradicts the bipartisan 1980 Refugee Act, which was established “to provide a permanent and systematic procedure for the admission to this country of refugees of special humanitarian concern to the United States, and to provide comprehensive and uniform provisions for the effective resettlement and absorption of those refugees who are admitted.”
Among those speaking out were faith leaders such as Rev. Michael Neuroth from the United Church of Christ and Rev. Noel Andersen, UCC minister for Immigration Justice. They called on policymakers to show compassion towards refugees in need of resettlement and integration services.
Rev. Michael Neuroth stated, “As climate change, wars, civil unrest, poverty, and persecution that the U.S. has had a hand in create more and more refugees, we cannot as a nation turn our back on anyone seeking life, liberty, and freedom.” He highlighted that many refugees are now left in limbo due to sudden entry denials despite having been cleared for entry into the U.S., including those who assisted U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan.
Bishop William Gohl Jr., Delaware-Maryland Synod Bishop for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, addressed attendees saying: “As followers of Jesus, we feel the urgency of welcoming our neighbor – in this case, the most vetted and legally settled neighbors in our country’s refugee and asylum-seeker system.”
Jen Smyers, former Deputy Director of the Office for Refugee Resettlement during Biden's administration said: “Our country is stronger when our policies reflect our values... This refugee ban must end.”
Neuroth further emphasized that no one chooses to be a refugee voluntarily by quoting Somali-British poet Warsan Shire: "no one puts their children in a boat unless the water is safer than the land." He urged America to remain compassionate towards those seeking refuge.
Humanitarian organizations along with refugees and resettlement agencies are calling on government leaders to invest in programs addressing both immediate needs like healthcare access as well as long-term needs such as housing education employment opportunities for resettled families.
