**B Stands for Barriers**

Good afternoon,

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will conclude this Sunday. Reaching the
Olympic stage is a remarkable feat for any athlete, requiring strength,
determination and hope. These qualities are especially apparent in the
immigrant athletes competing in Tokyo.

Track and field runner Luis

Grijalva

is a DACA recipient from Guatemala and a student at Northern Arizona
University (where my son will be a freshman this fall). His DACA status
meant that if he left the U.S. for the Olympics, he would not be allowed
to reenter the country. With the help of his attorney, USCIS officials,
Representative Tom O'Halleran and Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, Luis
was able to receive a special travel permit that will allow him to
participate in the Tokyo games and reenter the U.S. afterward. Because
his DACA status does not allow him to compete for the U.S., he is
running for his native Guatemala in the men's 5,000-meter finals,
representing his birth country and all of our nation's Dreamers.

Born and raised in a small village in Kenya, Benard

Keter
was scouted by Texas Tech University's track and field team. In 2016,
while still in school, Keter joined the U.S. Army and became a member of
its World Class Athlete Program. Tokyo 2020 is Keter's first Olympic
Games, and this week he finished 11th in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

The 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil marked the first appearance
of the Refugee Olympic Team
. This
year in Tokyo, there are 29 athletes on the team, hailing from 11 home
countries and 13 host countries. Their participation in the Olympics
shines a light on the plight of refugees - but also their resilience.
Swimmer Yusra Mardini, a Syrian refugee whose "very survival once
depended on her ability to swim,"

says "I represent millions around the world. A refugee is a human being
like any other. A refugee means a person who is seeking refuge, a place
where they want to stay safe. And there is nothing wrong with that. I am
sending a message that refugees won't give up easily and will keep on
dreaming even after going through tough journeys."

Over the last two weeks, we've enjoyed watching these remarkable
athletes compete and hearing their incredible stories. Their grit and
hope inspires us to continue fighting for an immigration system that
reflects our American values and recognizes the many contributions and
accomplishments of immigrants.

Go Team USA (and the Refugee Olympic Team)!

Adam

**Adam Estle**
Vice President of Field and Constituencies
National Immigration Forum 

**P.S.** ICYMI - Last week, the Forum's President and CEO, Ali
Noorani spoke with Bill Kristol, Director of Defending Democracy
Together , about the budget
reconciliation process and what it could mean for immigration reform.
Watch the discussion here
.

**NEWS CLIPS TO NOTE:**

****

**ABC NEWS:**CBP encounters highest monthly number of migrants
attempting to cross border since 2000

**ASSOCIATED PRESS:**Judge blocks Texas troopers from stopping migrant
transports

**LOS ANGELES TIMES:**'They deserve our help.' U.S. expands Afghan
refugee program as violence spikes

**REUTERS:**Biden-pick Ur Jaddou confirmed to head Citizenship and
Immigration Services

**NBC NEWS:**'White supremacy, racism': Remembering the El Paso massacre
that targeted Latinos

 

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