You’ve seen them; you know them. They’re soldiers, doctors, restauranteurs, vendors, teachers, custodians, and, yes, taxi drivers. They’re our neighbors, friends, family and colleagues. They’re refugees who came to the U.S.—against great odds—to build a better life and contribute to their new country.
This year we are using the global observance of World Refugee Day, June 20th to draw attention to the plight of the nearly 60 million refugees and internally displaced persons worldwide forced to flee their homeland due to war, conflict and persecution. This is the highest level of displacement since World War II, with 53 percent of these refugees fleeing the violent upheavals in recent years in Somalia, Afghanistan and Syria.
This observance is not about what our government can do. It is about what every single one of us – as a citizen, a company, or an organization – can do to make sure that people who are displaced or impacted by war or violent conflict have what they need to survive and find a safe haven.
The citizens of the United States have a proud tradition of being generous and resourceful in our support for those who are most vulnerable. Over 3 million refugees from more than 70 countries have been promised a safe haven and provided a clear path for resettlement in the U.S. since the Refugee Act of 1980 was signed into law. Last year alone, Alaska welcomed and resettled 146 refugees, with many coming particularly from Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan.
Refugees are subject to the highest level of security checks of any category of traveler to the United States. Only after all checks are completed is a refugee applicant cleared to travel to the U.S. Once they arrive, the men, women and children forced to flee their homes and families, their schools and communities begin the difficult task of starting a new life in a new country.
Just like most all of our families at some point in the past, the new arrivals are rising to the challenge. Today, the federal government supports a network of refugee-serving organizations located in communities across the country that provide initial vital services including: meeting refugees at the airport upon arrival; arranging for housing, food, and clothing; providing cultural orientation; and assisting with access to other social, medical, and employment related services focused on self-sufficiency and longer-term integration.
Working in partnership with public and private sector organizations in Alaska, our goal is to help refugees quickly and successfully integrate into American life. Everyone’s help is welcome. Individuals interested in helping refugees start anew in your community can learn about volunteer opportunities at www.AidRefugees.gov. The assistance provided is a lifeline for refugees as they work to rebuild their lives in America.
Until the world is free of conditions that force people to flee their homes, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will continue to play our part in helping to welcome and integrate newcomers and their children into the fabric of our communities. In return, our economy and our nation will continue to be strengthened by diversity and the new talent contributing to welcoming communities across the U.S.
• Robert Carey is the director of Office of Refugee Resettlement Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
