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Dear John,
Today marks the 40th anniversary of the 1980 Refugee Act. Even in the midst of the current COVID-19 crisis, it is still important to mark this historic anniversary and recognize that refugees around the world need our protection and support now more than ever.
This landmark legislation, which passed with near unanimous bipartisan support, created the modern-day U.S. refugee admissions program, codified the United Nations' definition of a refugee, and created a formal immigration status for successful asylum applicants, giving them eligibility for federal assistance and a pathway to citizenship.
While the U.S. legacy of welcome pre-dates the 1980 Refugee Act, this legislation established a formal and systematic process for America to extend a hand to people fleeing persecution and violence around the world. Presidents on both sides of the aisle have long understood that resettling refugees not only saves lives, it's also good for America.
Until now. Today, this humanitarian tradition is under threat. Even as the number of refugees in need of resettlement climbs to unprecedented levels, the Trump administration set a refugee admissions goal of just 18,000 this year – a far cry from the historic average of 95,000 refugees.
Now is the time to act.
Join the IRC in supporting the GRACE Act. By passing this critical bill, Congress will ensure that the U.S. strives to welcome at least 95,000 refugees annually and that America's resettlement program answers to global need. Just as Congress established the refugee admissions program in 1980, Congress must once again step in to strengthen America's tradition of life-saving refugee protection. |
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