The current refugee crisis is the most pressing since World War II; more than 22.5 million people qualify for refugee status, over 5 million of them from Syria alone. Today, more than 65 million people worldwide are displaced, many of whom have been forced to flee their homes because of ongoing violence and with no option to return home. The U.S. has recently decreased the number of refugees it will accept to 45,000 for fiscal year 2018. That number is less than half of the amount set by the prior administration and is not enough to respond to the challenge of our time. We must address this humanitarian crisis by increasing the number of refugees welcomes and by opposing any effort to limit refugees of certain religious background.
Now is the time to increase the number of refugees welcomed by the U.S. and call on other countries to do the same.
Call your Member of Congress
- Click here to find your Representative
- Click here to find your Senator
- Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to the office of your Member of Congress.
- When you are connected with a staff member, tell them that you support welcoming refugees and use the talking points below to guide your conversation:
- My name is _____________, and as a Reform Jew from [City, State], I urge the Senator/Representative to support the resettlement of refugees in the United States.
- I am concerned about the magnitude of the global refugee crisis, and especially the increased number of refugees from Syria.
- I urge you to encourage the White House to raise the refugee cap for FY 2018 to WHAT IS THE NUMBER HIAS OR OTHERS ARE ASKING FOR?
- As a Reform Jew, I am inspired by the words of the Torah that teach “You too must befriend the strangers, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Deuteronomy 10:19).
- Attempts to block refugee resettlement echo such dark moments in U.S. history as when our country turned away Jewish refugees fleeing the turmoil and violence of World War II.
- We can ensure our security and fulfill our highest aspirations as a nation rooted in compassion and commitment to religious liberty.
- The United States currently screens all refugees for 18-24 months prior to entry through a robust and extensive process that includes 13 levels of security.
- I urge Senator/Representative [Name] to support continued resettlement of refugees from across the world by opposing any efforts to limit the resettlement of refugees in the United States, especially on the basis of religion or national origin.
For more on this issue, visit the RAC's issue pages on refugees and immigration. You can also contact Eisendrath Legislative Assistant Elizabeth Leff at (202) 387-2800.
