Road to citizenship in a time of crisis
Written by Gianna Furnari
Edited by Lote Līva Leimane
*This is a fact-checked piece*
Out of the more than 26 million refugees in the world, “less than one percent are considered for resettlement worldwide." In recent years, American public opinion has shifted its views on refugees; since then, the rise of racism and xenophobia has become apparent within the country. The Biden administration seeks to give refugees a path of security.
The program is extremely new compared to previous presidents' responses to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the world. The creation of this initiative was announced in President Biden's Report to Congress on Proposed Refugee Admissions for the Fiscal Year of 2022, which was released on September 20, 2021. This new program allows refugees to be privately sponsored by groups of Americans to support their resettlement in the United States. This private sponsorship model will allow individuals, community associations, private enterprises, ethnic organizations, churches, and nonprofits to be able to provide financial support, post-arrival services, and benefits for one year. It is important to note that in private sponsorship, the sponsor assumes all financial responsibility for the refugee. This allows for "no further stressors on public funds, services, or programs.” Not only will this program make sure that refugees will be able to live in safe and humane conditions, but it will also provide ways for refugees to get involved in the communities that they reside in. In addition, refugees will have access to housing, opportunities to build skills, and employment opportunities. In the past years, it could be seen that without the implementation of private sponsorship, refugees were rather restricted in terms of community involvement, employment opportunities, and pathways to citizenship.
Historically, the United States has resettled more refugees than any other country. When looking at the migration path of refugees, it can be seen that after fleeing their country, most go home when it’s safe, some stay in temporary refugee settlements, and a tiny fraction resettle in a third country. In the United States, the president, along with Congress, determines the number of refugees authorized to enter the country through a presidential determination. In September 2022, President Biden announced his administration’s goal of resettling up to 125,000 refugees in the upcoming year, which, in comparison to other presidents, is an ambitious goal. According to current data, only 31,800 refugees in 2023 have been resettled in the United States so far. This new program is an effort by the Biden Administration to try and add more stable infrastructure to make up for what was underfunded under the Trump Administration.
When looking at the history of resettlement in the United States, the country has had a historical reputation for being a haven for those fleeing persecution and conflict. President Trump built a presidency by feeding ordinary people's fear and distrust of refugees and immigrants. During Donald Trump’s administration, he cut more than “80% of refugees allowed in annually." The former president also imposed numerous sanctions and banned admitting countries that were listed as a “threat to US national security." An example of this is a week after President Trump signed Executive Order 1376, better known as the Muslim Ban, which banned travel and suspended resettlement for 120 days from seven predominantly Muslim countries such as Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. When reading Executive Order 1376, its main goal was to protect the American people from terrorist attacks by foreign nationals admitted to the United States. Due to these sanctions, during Donald Trump’s last year in office, only 11,840 refugees were resettled, which is a 60% decrease from 2019, when 29,916 refugees were approved for resettlement.
The attitude of the American people toward the resettlement of refugees is less than welcoming. The cost of living has gone up under the current presidential administration; post-coronavirus, the prices of gas, rent, and food have gone up exponentially. The high cost of living exists not only in the United States but throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa. The rise in living costs has had a negative effect on the way many Americans view extending their help to refugees. When looking at exactly how many Americans feel about refugee resettlement, it is recorded by the Pew Research Center that "72 percent say taking in civilian refugees from countries where people are trying to escape violence and war should be a very or somewhat important goal for immigration policy in the United States.” It also states that only “28 percent say that it is super important.”. The obvious question is: how will President Biden fix the cost of living for Americans while being able to provide resources that will ensure refugees have a successful change in the American dream?
Expanding the refugee program in the United States can provide a way for refugees to gain a path to citizenship. It is also a way for many refugees to have security within the country as well as a way to ensure that they have the right to build a successful life in America.