Washington, DC — Following the election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as President and Vice President of the United States, Refugee Council USA Executive Director Adam Hunter and Board Chair Scott Roehm issued the following statement:
The US had been the global leader on humanitarian protection and a beacon of hope for a person seeking refuge. However the Trump administration stripped us of that title, using its four years to meticulously dismantle nearly every aspect of the US immigration system.
With the largest voter turnout in our history, citizens across the country rejected his agenda. Standing against xenophobia and division, and for inclusion and unity, Americans have declared that they support — and are ready to rebuild — a country of welcome, opportunity, and protection.
Restoring our commitment to asylum and resettlement requires that we build forward, not back. To create more robust, flexible, and responsive tools and systems of humanitarian protection will take significant work. We’ll need bold leadership and a new approach to partnership with affected community members, advocates, organizations, and policy makers.
America’s long history of promising freedom and safety for people around the world, including refugees and asylum seekers, is essential to who we are as a nation. We have the opportunity to again deliver on this promise. The work begins today.