TAKE ACTION: Urge Your State and Local Leaders to Support Refugee Resettlement in FY 2023


June 29, 2022

With an estimated 100 million forcibly displaced globally, the world is faced with the greatest displacement and refugee crisis in history, and it is imperative that the United States restore its bold leadership in the global humanitarian response. Now is a critical time to hold the administration accountable to rebuilding and strengthening the U.S. resettlement program and improve our humanitarian response to emerging and protracted displacement crises around the world. All people deserve to live in safety, and an investment in the U.S. resettlement program is vital to welcome people from all parts of the world who are in urgent need of resettlement and protection, many of whom have been waiting for years to access safety.

Join us in urging state and local elected officials to take a stand and urge the President to welcome refugees and rebuild the refugee resettlement program so that we can truly meet our commitments of being a country of refuge. Reach out to your mayor, city council members, state legislators, and governors to ensure that the voices of state and local communities are heard!

CONTACT YOUR STATE & LOCAL LAWMAKERS TODAY
On the right-hand side, click “Send Email” to contact your local lawmakers.

Sample Email: “Today, we are facing the worst refugee crisis in recorded history with 100 million displaced people in the world, including more than 36 million refugees. The reality is that resettlement is the last resort for all refugees, and here in the United States, refugee resettlement is a life-saving program available to fewer than 1% of refugees. 

Despite historic low numbers of refugees entering my community, the refugee community has been instrumental in strengthening our communities economically and as part of our schools, congregations, and places of employment — as well as in our collective response efforts to the COVID-19 pandemic over the last two years. Additionally, as teachers, doctors, factory workers, and social workers, refugees have tremendously given back to [city name]. This is why it is vital that you urge the administration to set a robust refugee admissions goal and invest in strengthening our nation’s capacity to welcome.

I urge you to sign onto a letter that calls on President Biden to meet his commitment to resettle refugees, and in the upcoming fiscal year by ensuring that the resettlement program is sufficiently resourced and responsive to emergent humanitarian needs. The deadline to sign the letter is August 29, 2022. Please contact me or outreach@refugeeadvocacylab.org with any questions. 

You can find the letter here: https://welcomingrefugees2023.org/

You can sign onto this letter here: https://welcomingrefugees2023.org/elected-officials-sign-letter/ 

Thank you for considering this request.”

Amplify on Social Media: To tweet your state and local officials, click to find the twitter handles for your governor and state legislators. Sample tweets and graphics for the state and local elected official sign-on letter are available here.

Thank you for taking action, and please share this alert with your networks!