In The News: Presidential Determination Letter
On September 8, 2022, 385 bipartisan state and local elected officials from all 50 states sent President Biden a letter urging him to meet his administration’s commitment to resettle refugees in Fiscal Year 2023 by restoring the nation’s refugee resettlement infrastructure. The letter emphasizes that refugees are a vital part of the American social, cultural, and economic fabric, and encourages the Biden administration to restore our American legacy of welcome by committing to rebuilding the refugee resettlement program in his Presidential Determination. This effort was driven by the Lab and its many partners across the country, from business leaders in Cedar Rapids and Council Bluffs, Iowa to local officials in Washington.
In the Op-Ed “Welcoming a workforce: Welcoming refugees is essential to Iowa’s economic future,” Iowa local chambers of commerce noted that many industries across the state are struggling to find talent. “One way we can fill these critical jobs is by welcoming refugees.” Statistically, refugees pay “at least $219 million in taxes annually and contribute $628 million in spending power,” and a “full 40 percent of Iowa’s population growth came from immigrants and refugees.” The Gazette shares the stories and successes of new Iowans, illustrating the impact refugees have on local communities. This includes Fourtytwo Yet, a refugee from Sudan who is now a lead case manager for Lutheran Family Services in Council Bluffs and a supply specialist in the Iowa National Guard, and Gracie, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo who is now a licensed DHS child care provider through a program at the Catherine McAuley Center.
In addition, the Yakima Herald-Republic in the state of Washington highlights the initiative in the article “Yakima City Council signs on to letter welcoming refugees to the U.S.” In a unanimous decision, the city council “decided to sign on to a bipartisan letter authored by the Refugee Advocacy Lab…asking President Joe Biden to rebuild and resource the refugee resettlement program.” Several city officials described the cultural, economic, and social importance of welcoming refugees into their community including City Manager Bob Harrison and Deputy Mayor Soneya Lund. Council member Holly Cousens, as a Ukrainian herself, said that “it’s important the city take a stand in light of the conflicts in Ukraine and elsewhere.”
To learn more about this initiative, visit http://welcomingrefugees2023.org/ and read the Lab’s statement.