Refugees Aren’t Here to Steal Jobs
Today, June 20th, is World Refugee Day. It is a day where, “we commemorate the strength, courage and perseverance of millions of refugees.” It is safe to say that most people reading this don’t know the definition of the word refugee. Honestly, six months ago I didn’t know the first thing about it. So let’s learn together.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is a United Nations program with a mandate to protect refugees. UNHCR defines a refugee as, “someone who has been forced to flee his or her country because of persecution, war or violence. A refugee has a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group.” Key word to understand in the definition is forced.
These people don’t want to leave their lives and families but for a lot of them if they don’t leave, they will die or people close to them will. I think it is safe to say that this is a situation that most people, especially Americans, cannot fathom. We see short news reports about refugee boats capsizing and we don’t do anything about it. We aren’t in Europe where people can more easily cross borders to safety. It seems so far away. So foreign.
The process of becoming a refugee and getting resettled into a third country is incredibly long and arduous. The UN estimates that there are 25.4 million refugees worldwide and less than 1% of those people will get resettled to a third country. The number of background checks and vetting procedures that people must go through is complex and detailed. I can’t even pretend that I know 1/100 of the information about it but what I do know is that it is a process that takes years. Here is a very good infographic about the process that refugees must go through to make it to the United States.
You know that travel ban of Trump’s? Executive Order 13769? Not only did it ban immigrants and visa holders from seven Muslim-majority countries but it also banned refugees for 120 days. 120 days! People that were trying to leave persecution, war and violence were going to be turned away even if they had already been granted refugee status but had not yet entered the United States. People that were already vetted by the US Government were going to be barred entry and safe-haven. It really is a sad thing to think about.
But yet, the news stations we watch and the papers we read only share part of the story. Many people are still afraid that immigrants and refugees are here to take jobs from Americans but they are simply here to survive and thrive. These people will work whatever jobs they can in order to improve their lives and start fresh at their dreams. They have left all the know behind and yet they come to America and face judgement and racism because they don’t speak perfect English or because the country they fled is dangerous. However, these people don’t pose a threat to America. They are here to make America better.
One of CNN’s Top 10 Heroes of 2016 was a refugee. Luma Mufleh founded a school and soccer team for refugee children. Try watching her TED Talk without crying.
What about the story of Abdi, a Somoli refugee who was living in Kenya and won a visa lottery to move to the United States? This American Life produced a great podcast that takes the listener through a harrowing and sometimes heartbreaking journey.
Have you ever taken the time to ask about someone’s story? A worker at your favorite restaurant? Your friend’s grandparents? Your neighbor? Someone you have worked with forever but never truly taken the time to get to know?
You’d be surprised what you can learn by actually listening.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Learning more about the people around you will only help make the world a better place. Understanding is necessary. We are all human and all have the right to a safe, happy and healthy life. Just because someone is born into a war-torn country or because they face persecution over their religion doesn’t make them any less a human or any less worthy of a fulfilling life. We need to stop being afraid of immigrants and allowing people in, especially refugees, because they are vetted and researched to the greatest degree. The thought that these people don’t deserve to come to America is one of great ignorance.
So, today, take the time to listen. Don’t flip away from the sad stories on the news about wars in the Middle East. Don’t ignore the stories of poor children washed ashore when their boat to freedom sank. It is a gruesome truth to the world we live in but being ignorant is not going to help make the world a better place. Learn more. Vote. Donate money to a refugee organization if you have the means. At the very least, listen to stories and become a better person. I can assure you that refugees aren’t here to steal jobs.
