Contact: Timothy Young | timothy.young@globalrefuge.org | 443-257-6310
Washington D.C. – The Associated Press projects that former Vice President Joe Biden has secured more than 270 Electoral College votes, clinching victory in the 2020 Presidential Election. The outcome has major implications for immigrant and refugee communities who have already been significantly impacted by drastic policy changes over the previous four years.
The following is a statement by Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, president and CEO of Global Refuge:
It is a new dawn in America for immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, DREAMers, and all those who stand for welcome. We are moved by the prospect of an administration that sees immigration as a strength, and not a weakness of our nation. We are delighted by President-elect Biden’s explicit commitment to restoring the refugee resettlement program to its full life-saving potential. And we are inspired by Senator Kamala Harris, the daughter of immigrants, and her groundbreaking election as the first woman, first Black American, and first South Asian American to the Vice Presidency.
Our faith in the American people and their willingness to welcome those in need has never wavered – today, it feels renewed and revitalized.
The past four years have proven a dark chapter for our immigrant brothers and sisters. The Trump administration’s legacy will be marked by its xenophobic Muslim ban, its slashing of refugee admissions, its gutting of asylum protections, its assault on DACA and DREAMers, and its heinous Family Separation policy. Yet, we also recognize that the immigration system was dysfunctional even before President Trump. The bipartisan inability to implement an immigration system that balances compassion, due process, and efficiency must be overcome by a bipartisan effort determined to transform it.
As we have throughout our 80-year history, Global Refuge will embrace the honor of helping our newest neighbors find firm footing. Our staff, volunteers, and congregations and community partners are equipped for the ongoing, trying work of organizing and advocating for common-sense policies aligned with our core values and interests. We will, day-in and day-out, hold the Biden administration accountable to its promises to immigrants, refugees, DREAMers, and the American people.
And together, we can and we will build a fair and humane immigration system that reflects our better angels.
Founded in 1939, Global Refuge (LIRS) is one of the largest immigration and refugee resettlement agencies in the United States. Global Refuge is nationally recognized for its leadership working with and advocating for refugees, asylum seekers, unaccompanied children, immigrants in detention, families fractured by migration and other vulnerable populations. Through 80 years of service and advocacy, Global Refuge has helped over 500,000 migrants and refugees rebuild their lives in America.
