Washington, D.C. – Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA) condemns the president’s executive order indefinitely suspending the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) beginning January 27.
“The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program is a lifeline for people who have been forced to flee their homes due to violence or persecution,” said Kristyn Peck, CEO of LSSNCA. “The United States has long been a safe harbor for people seeking safety and freedom. Halting refugee admissions puts families, children, and individuals in further danger and denies them their right to safety. Furthermore, it perpetuates family separations, as it will for many families in the Washington, D.C. area whom LSSNCA has welcomed in recent years and who have been anxiously waiting to reunify with their loved ones.”
Due to the extensive vetting process, which includes background checks, security clearances, and health screening, admitting refugees to the United States can take months or even years.
In addition to the direct impact on refugees, preventing refugees from resettling in the U.S. harms our global standing as a humanitarian leader and negatively impacts our economy. Refugees help revitalize communities through their social and economic contributions.
LSSNCA calls for the immediate restart of USRAP. We urge Congress to honor our legal and moral commitments to people fleeing persecution and to support the Lady Liberty Act (H.R. 4156, 118th Congress), which would establish a minimum annual cap on refugee admissions, ensuring that the United States continues to fulfill its commitment to those in need each fiscal year.
