World Relief Expresses Concern Over Reports, Urges White House Not to Abandon Refugees

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***
August 2, 2018                                              

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Lauren Carl
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World Relief Expresses Concern Over Reports, Urges White House Not to Abandon Refugees

The U.S. is ready, willing and able to welcome 75,000 refugees.  At this time of unprecedented refugee need, with over 25 million refugees, the U.S. should be leading and increasing, not reducing the number of refugees we welcome.

Baltimore, Md. – August 2, 2018 – Based on our Christian calling to welcome and to serve the vulnerable, World Relief strongly opposes the reduction to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program reportedly under consideration by the federal government.  Some reports, including one by the  New York Times, claim that the cut being considered would be to 25,000 refugees or fewer. This would be a reduction of some 40 percent from this year’s cap of 45,000. In June, the United National High Commissioner for Refugees reported that today there are over 25.4 million refugees in the world, and over half are women and children.
 
Tim Breene, World Relief CEO, says, “A cap of 25,000 would represent a welcome for only one thousandth (0.1%) of those in our world needing protection. This reduction would fly in the face of the values and beliefs of America as a beacon for the world that have supported this program. It is not who we have been as a nation.”
 
“Across the nation our offices are experiencing calls and requests for increased refugee resettlement,” reports Emily Gray, Sr. Vice President for U.S. Ministries at World Relief. “Local governments, churches and communities are asking us to help more refugees come to the U.S. Local business are calling asking for workers to help fuel local economies. Homes, jobs and a new community are waiting for refugees if our government will allow them to come.”
 
Through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, refugees are offered protection from war and oppression. They remain the most thoroughly screened and vetted of all immigrants to the United States. In a government-sponsored study in 2017, refugees were also shown to have contributed $63 billion to the U.S. economy since the passage of the Refugee Act of 1980.
 
“We can and should increase, not decrease the number of refugees coming to the U.S.,“ Gray added.  “A strong refugee program saves lives, builds communities and helps to fuel the U.S. economy. And, when we see people facing unimaginable danger, for us as people of faith, welcoming them is the right thing to do.”

Take action today: Call President Trump and tell him you believe the U.S. should be a place of welcome for those who need protection. We are ready, willing and able to welcome 75,000 refugees.

Here’s what you can do today:

1.       Call the White House at (202) 456-1111 with the message above.
2.      Call congressional representatives at (202) 224-3121 with the same message.
3.      Blast social media or emails to your mailing lists asking people to raise their voices to the White House and Congress.

#Welcome75K #RefugeesWelcome #WithRefugees #WeWelcomeRefugees

Download the PDF version of this press release.

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World Relief is a global humanitarian relief and development organization that stands with the vulnerable and partners with local churches to end the cycle of suffering, transform lives and build sustainable communities. With over 70 years of experience, World Relief works in 20 countries worldwide through disaster response, health and child development, economic development and peacebuilding and has offices in the United States that specialize in refugee and immigration services. Learn more at worldrelief.org.