Easing the Refugee Crisis
April 8th, 2020
─
By Arcadia Calimano
1
Zainab’s Story: Introduction
Zainab Abdo was studying in her bedroom as it became too dangerous for her to attend
classes at school. She had the dream of becoming a doctor and was not going to let anything stop
her. She spent most of her days glued to her desk, reviewing for her exams.
In Syria, a civil war had been seething for a year but had not yet reached the village of
Abyan in which Zainab lived. A harrowing noise rattled the Abdo apartment from top to bottom
as a bomb had hit their home. The building shook and the window in Zainab’s room had
shattered, causing smoke and debris to suffocate the room. Unable to see, Zainab used her sense
of touch to find her family in the kitchen. Fortunately, her mother and four younger siblings were
all there. Her mother provided them with rags to hold over their mouths to avoid the inhalation of
smoke. Soon after their father had joined them as they rapidly collected their belongings to leave
their home for the last time. Staying silent, Zainab and her family made their way to her
grandfather's house in a nearby village. It has been eight years since that day and Zainab is now
resettled with her family in Lowell, Massachusetts on the top half of a pale yellow duplex that
they call their new home 1 .
The Refugee Crisis
Zainab and her family are not the only refugees who have had to face these hardships.
There are about 70.8 million people who are forcibly displaced from their homes, 29.5 million of
them being refugees 2 . For these refugees, resettlement is vital for their safety, creating legal
routes that will increase their chances of survival 3 . Without having the option of a safe and legal
2
method for refugees to escape, they must rely on their only means for fleeing persecution,
conflict, and violence; smuggling. Smuggling is a process in which refugees can find illegal
access to a region in exchange for financial or material benefit 4 . This harrowing passage is
endured by people all over the world, though some more than others. In 2016, The United
Nations reported 2.5 million migrants being smuggled into various different regions for an
exchange of 5.5 to 7 billion US Dollars 5 . Many smuggled migrants have to endure crimes such
as violence, rape, theft, kidnapping, extortion, as or in the most extreme yet unfortunately not
uncommon cases, death 6 . Smuggling has become such a large problem, though, to a significant
extent, it becomes a refugee’s only option 7 . Using solutions such as resettlement allows refugees
to regain their hope and aspirations. With resettlement, people facing these vulnerable situations
are able to have their basic human rights protected when their own country denies it 8 .
Issues at Hand
Though resettlement seems to be the most plausible solution, the United States has not
been maintaining its resettlement program as it was before 9 . The United States has always been
known as a global leader for refugee resettlement, constantly contributing refuge to more people
. Once topping the charts, the United States has now dropped to
than any other country 10
. Since Donald Trump’s presidency in
“historical lows” according to The Pew Research Center 11
2017, the United States has been rapidly decreasing refugee admissions causing it to lose its title
. For the fiscal year 2019, The United
as a global leader with respect to refugee resettlement 12
States only admitted 30,000 refugees, which is only a small selection of the global refugee
. And with the limit on refugee
population that has increased by 50 percent over recent years 13
3
admissions decreasing, United States refugee agencies are diminishing. United States refugee
agencies are incredibly important as they provide a service that aids refugees in starting their
. These agencies enroll refugee children into schools, aiding
new lives in the United States 14
. Though vital
them in finding jobs, paying for their cable bills along with many other services 15
for a refugee’s sustainability, funding for refugee programs has decreased by 14 percent in the
. Trump also requested budget funding for Refugee Supportive Services to be
fiscal year 2019 16
. Now refugee agencies such
201 million dollars, a 27 percent decrease, for the fiscal year 2019 17
as Kara Ulmer’s agency, a local affiliate of World Relief, have to let their staff go and leave
refugees without the help they need. Ulmer reported having to leave “415 refugees without the
potential for continued help with the agency that resettled them.” 18
While it is understandable that President Trump and the Trump Administration are trying
to protect the United States using international isolation, this method of security is truly not in
the best interest of our country. Due to the displacement of large numbers of people, there has
been a spread of rebels, arms, drugs, and diseases, destabilizing neighboring communities and
. This causes concern for the United States since tens of thousands of refugees
entire regions 19
who were once under displacement are coming into the country each year, which can potentially
. Increasing the numerical ceiling of refugee admissions can reduce the
destabilize the country 20
spread of rebels, arms, and drugs as it will lower the number of individuals being displaced.
Not only is it beneficial to let refugees into the United States for safety reasons, but
refugees also are an economic benefit to the United States. Refugees have a high employment
. Male refugees had a 67
rate and are considered to be crucial to the United States labor market 21
4
percent employment rate from 2009 to 2011 making them large contributors to the United States
. It has also been reported that many refugees from Somali, Burmese, and Hmong
economy 22
have tended to move from blue-collar positions to white-collar positions when living in the
. Refugees tend to be beneficial in creating jobs for the
United States for at least ten years 23
United States as well, having higher entrepreneurship rates than the U.S.-born population and the
. The evidence shown above in this brief presents the problems of the
foreign-born population 24
United States’ current resettlement and refugee policies as well as the benefits that are involved
with restoring resettlement and refugee policies. Furthermore, it is vital for the United States to
restructure the policies that are currently set in place.
Alleviating the Problems
One potential reform is for President Trump to accept at least 150,000 refugees into the
United States each year. This increase will not solely aid the refugee crisis, but it will prevent the
spread of rebels, arms, drugs, and diseases that are caused by the massive numbers of individuals
who are displaced. It was previously mentioned that the large number of individuals who are
. Resettling at least 150,000
displaced has created a spread of rebels, arms, drugs, and diseases 25
refugees will drastically reduce this problem since it is not the individuals themselves that are the
issue but rather the massive numbers of those displaced in places that struggle to respond to the
spread. An effective example of this spread is the perpetrators of the Rwandan genocide. These
perpetrators assembled in Zaire and used refugee camps as a way to pilot their acts, which
. With no other way to ensure
contributed to the fatal Congo wars from the 1990s to the 2000s 26
their survival and their ability to obtain currency, young men especially were recruited into these
5
. Increasing the number of refugees admitted into the United States by
nonstate armed groups 27
drastic numbers will reduce the number of individuals who are displaced, making it much easier
for places that are struggling with the spread of these issues to take control of them and
eventually eliminate them.
With the United States increasing the numerical ceiling of refugee admissions by a large
percentage, the moral standing of the United States will improve and be recognized by other
countries. The statement we make with a new numerical ceiling will most likely persuade other
countries to follow in the same steps as they have many times before. America has had such a
large cultural influence over other countries for many decades as there is even a term for this
process known as “Americanizing”. Americanizing is defined as bringing a region or area into
. One effective example of
the political, cultural, or commercial influence of the United States 28
this process is the influence of American ideals on Australia during the cold war among many
. America’s conflict with communism during the cold war had a very large
other countries 29
. The policies that
effect on Australia’s actions and perspectives in terms of foreign affairs 30
Australia put in place during this time were very consistent with the perceptions that America
. Americanization could have the same effect as increasing
had on foreign and domestic events 31
the numerical ceiling of refugee admission, causing many other countries to increase the number
of refugees that they admit, similar to how Americans influenced the change of some foreign
policies in Australia. If the United States is successful in influencing other countries to increase
their numerical ceiling for refugee admissions, this will dramatically affect the number of
refugees who are displaced, therefore aiding places who are struggling with the spread of rebels,
arms, drugs, and diseases.
6
Fortunately, this process of reform has no negative effect on the United States as
evidence proves that refugees have presented no large threats to the country. Based on
conventional knowledge, it is believed that refugees and immigrants are a dangerous threat to the
United States though that is not the case. A study has shown that the chance of an American
being killed in a terrorist attack by a refugee is about 1 in 3.86 billion per year. In addition, the
. Refugees
annual chance of being killed in an attack committed by an illegal immigrant is zero 32
have shown no alarming threat to the United States, but rather a benefit to our economy. As
previously mentioned refugees have had a large economic benefit towards the United States due
to them making up the majority of the labor market, including a large percentage being
. In fact, over 181,000 refugee entrepreneurs produced $4.6 billion in business
entrepreneurs 33
. Refugees have proved to be the source of benefit for the United States
income during 2015 34
rather than a threat to our country.
Another potential method of reform is to raise funding for refugees. Rather than relying
on a rush of humanitarian aid to acknowledge refugee emergencies and the necessary aid for
resettlement, the United States must provide an appropriate amount of funds for refugees that
will be beneficial to the long-term development of individuals who are seeking refuge.
Currently, the most funded United States program for refugees, asylum and other
immigration-related responsibilities is the International Humanitarian Assistance with a funding
. This program provides for humanitarian assistance overseas, as well as
of 6 billion dollars 35
. Overall the purpose of this
humanitarian organizations such as UNHCR, ICRC and IOM 36
program is to focus on providing food, water, medicine, and shelter to those in need otherwise
7
. While this is beneficial for the short term needs of refugees, in
known as humanitarian needs 37
long term situations this program can create dependency overtime for refugees with no legal
rights for jobs or establishing a stable life. Rather than focusing most of the funding on the
International Humanitarian Assistance, there should be a significant rise in funding for refugee
programs that focus on the long-term development of refugees. This reform is not suggesting to
scarcely fund the IHA, but rather to increase funding for long term development programs as
these programs are extremely important for the stability of a refugee’s life as well as providing to
the United States economy. In order to benefit refugees who are resettling in the United States,
driving the attention of funding towards services such as Refugee Supportive Services is the
optimal choice when trying to aid the success of refugees. Refugee Supportive Services funds
services by state governments and nonprofit organizations that assist refugees with employment
.
training services, giving refugees an opportunity to gain economic success and independence 38
Without significant funding in these areas, refugees can find difficulties in achieving economic
success and independence.
Refugees and immigrants are important to what the United States has always represented,
yet in recent years the country has failed to meet the expectations of what it means to be a global
leader for refugees and immigrants. The current policies and programs that are established for
refugees are harming both refugees and the United States. If America continues to lower the
numerical ceiling for refugee admissions and lower the funding for refugee programs, matters
will only get worse over time. By taking means of action such as educating national
policymakers about how valuable refugees are to the United States, positive changes can be
made.
8
Endnotes
“ A Syrian Refugee Story.” Starting New Life In America. Doha, Qatar: Al Jazeera, March 11,
1
2017. [Link] (Last accessed April 2020).
2
United Nations. “Figures at a Glance.” UNHCR,
[Link] (Last accessed April 2020).
3
Ibid.
4
United Nations. “People Smuggling.” UNHCR,
[Link] (Last accessed April
2020).
5
United Nations, 2018. “ Global Study On Smuggling Of Migrants” p.5.
6
United Nations, 2018. “ Global Study On Smuggling Of Migrants” p.9.
7
United Nations. “People Smuggling.” UNHCR, available at
[Link] (Last accessed April
2020).
8
Amnesty International. “Refugee Resettlement Changes Lives.”
[Link]
ves/ (Last accessed April 2020).
9
American Immigration Council. “An Overview of U.S. Refugee Law and Policy.”
[Link]
(Last accessed April 2020).
10
Ibid.
11
Krogstad, Jens Manuel. “Key Facts about Refugees to the U.S.” Pew Research Center.
[Link] (Last
accessed April 2020).
12
Ibid.
13
“Fact Sheet: U.S. Refugee Resettlement.” National Immigration Forum, n.d.
[Link] (Last accessed April
2020).
14
“US Refugee Agencies Wither as Trump Administration Cuts Numbers to Historic Lows.”
Public Radio International, n.d.
9
[Link]
mbers-historic-lows (Last accessed April 2020).
15
Ibid.
16
“The President's Budget Request: Refugee and Asylum Services, Fiscal Year (FY) 2020.”
National Immigration Forum, n.d.
[Link]
fiscal-year-fy-2020/ (Last accessed April 2020).
17
Ibid.
18
“US Refugee Agencies Wither as Trump Administration Cuts Numbers to Historic Lows.”
Public Radio International, n.d.
[Link]
mbers-historic-lows (Last accessed April 2020).
19
Kampf, David. “Keeping Refugees Out Makes the United States Less Safe.” Foreign Policy,
[Link]
(Last accessed April 2020).
20
Ibid.
21
“Immigrants as Economic Contributors: Refugees Are a Fiscal Success Story for America.”
National Immigration Forum, n.d.
[Link]
success-story-for-america/#_ftn3 (Last accessed April 2020)
22
Ibid.
23
Ibid.
24
Ibid.
25
Kampf, David. “Keeping Refugees Out Makes the United States Less Safe.” Foreign Policy,
[Link]
(Last accessed April 2020).
26
Ibid.
27
Ibid.
28
“Americanizing.” Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d.
[Link] (Last accessed April 2020).
10
29
Bell, Phillip, and Roger Bell, “‘Americanization’: Political and Cultural Examples from the
Perspective of ‘Americanized’ Australia” p.11.
30
Ibid.
31
Ibid
32
“Terrorists by Immigration Status and Nationality: A Risk Analysis, 1975–2017.” Cato
Institute, n.d.
[Link]
nalysis-1975-2017 (Last accessed April 2020).
33
“Immigrants as Economic Contributors: Refugees Are a Fiscal Success Story for America.”
National Immigration Forum, n.d.
[Link]
success-story-for-america/#_ftn3 (Last accessed April 2020).
34
Ibid.
35
“The President's Budget Request: Refugee and Asylum Services, Fiscal Year (FY) 2020.”
National Immigration Forum, n.d.
[Link]
fiscal-year-fy-2020/ (Last accessed April 2020).
36
Ibid.
37
Ibid.
38
Ibid.
Photo Citation:
39
Photograph. La Nueva Campaña Del ACNUR De 2 Mil Millones De Kilómetros a La
Seguridad Invita Al Público a Unirse En Solidaridad Con Los Refugiados. UNHCR, n.d.
[Link]
[Link]&psig=AOvVa
w3mOLcHhZ-1JaD5jruSuClz&ust=1587088229098000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CA0Q
jhxqFwoTCIDNu8Tq6-gCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAN (Last accessed April 2020).
