Refugees and Asylum Seekers
The United States has a longstanding tradition of welcoming individuals from around the world who are seeking protection and refuge. But recent U.S. policy has grown increasingly hostile toward asylum seekers and refugees. Instead of turning vulnerable individuals away, the United States should maintain its global reputation as a leader in refugee resettlement and humanitarian protection. Doing so not only upholds American values but sustains and strengthens our communities. Data from the Council shows that refugees and asylees make tremendous contributions to our economy as earners, taxpayers, and consumers. Learn more about the contributions and challenges of asylum seekers and refugees below.
How One Iraqi Refugee is Giving Back to His Newly Adopted American Home
Amer Alfayadh’s life in Iraq was one of privilege. He was educated at the finest schools in Baghdad and earned a degree in engineering. However, in the midst of conflict and war, finding a job proved to be difficult. “There were not many places that I could work because there… Read More
Refugees and Immigrants Are of ‘Critical Importance’ to Maine’s Economic Development, Says Lewiston’s Deputy City Administrator
In the 1940s, the economy in Lewiston, Maine, was thriving thanks to a booming textile industry. But when many of those factories began closing in the late 1950s, and the city’s flagship department store, B. Peck & Co. closed in 1981, the jobs and the people who needed… Read More
Vietnamese Refugee Dedicates Her Life to Empowering Women and Girls
“Words just resonate,” says writer, activist and Vietnamese immigrant Chay Douangphouxay. “With the right words, you can either build or break a person.” And so Douangphouxay, who came to the United States as a child refugee and has a full-time job in healthcare development at Target, dedicates all of her… Read More
Former Hotel Executive Says his Chain Couldn’t Have Thrived without the Contributions of Refugee Workers
Tom Negri has worked in hotels his entire life. After graduating from high school, he moved to Colombia for school and work. At the Hotel Irotama in Colombia, he met his future wife. By age 21, while attending the New York Hotel School, Negri was married and working six days… Read More
For This Immigrant & Policy Scholar, Immigration and Education Go Hand in Hand
The distinguished career of Dr. Vichet Chhuon, a thought leader in U.S. education policy, is a direct result of his own multicultural background and his family’s experiences as Cambodian refugees. As an associate professor at the University of Minnesota, Chhuon’s work focuses on multicultural education and the experiences of underserved… Read More
University President Once Fled the Communists — Now He Presides Over a Diverse Group of Promising Students
As President of Miami Dade College, Eduardo Padrón presides over 170,000 students, most of whom are immigrants or the children of immigrants, Graduates include mayors, lawyers, police and fire chiefs, and prominent political figures such as U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., the first Cuban-American… Read More
Number of Refugees and Internally Displaced Now at an All-Time High
This year, World Refugee Day marks a grim historical milestone: The number of people fleeing their homes to escape war and persecution is now higher than it has ever been since the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) began keeping records in the 1950s. In the 2015… Read More
Cases Show U.S. Policies Failing Central American Refugee Families
Last month, the Obama Administration doubled down on their Central American refugee deterrence policy by beginning a new round of raids targeting mothers and young people for deportation back to some of the most dangerous and violent places in the world. However, similar to the first time… Read More
Six Facts You Should Know About Refugees
Refugees and asylees are a relatively small share of U.S. immigrants – just eight percent of all immigrants living in the U.S. These are individuals who are fleeing persecution, war, conflict, oppression, and human rights violations in their home countries and who have been granted the ability to reside permanently… Read More
Immigration Makes Boise a More Exciting Place to Live, Says Idaho NGO Founders
More than 25 years ago, Laura and Nick Armstrong moved to Java, Indonesia. A big motivation was their Christian faith. “We wanted to work with marginalized people,” Laura explains. “We wanted to reach out to those who are in need.” Laura, who has a background in education, taught abroad. Nick,… Read More
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