Washington, DC- March 6, 2017
Refugee Council USA (RCUSA) opposes today’s revised Executive Order renewing the U.S. ban on refugee resettlement. This harmful and ill-considered order singles out the most vetted, most vulnerable people, and will not improve national security.
Hans van de Weerd, Chair of RCUSA, said “The order does nothing to improve our national security and will have painful human consequences: it will separate families and leave tens of thousands of people – mostly women and children – exposed to grave danger and despair. RCUSA urges the administration to reconsider its course, consult experts on the already-thorough vetting system, and consider improvements, but to do so without stalling and drastically reducing one of the world’s strongest refugee resettlement programs.”
In the past weeks, hundreds of thousands of Americans have expressed their support for refugees and immigrants, including business leaders, religious leaders, mayors and civil society leaders from all across the country. They have called for preserving longstanding U.S. values of welcome, tolerance, and inclusion. RCUSA encourages the Administration to listen to these voices and to conduct its review and any program changes in a manner consistent with these values.