This article was written by Maggie Wagner, Refugee Youth Program Coordinator. 

Last week it was announced that the Trump administration is putting a cap of 18,000 on the number of refugees admitted to the U.S. for the 2020 fiscal year, the lowest level since the refugee resettlement program in the U.S. began. On Wednesday, October 2, in association with Refugee Services of Texas, Girl Forward, and Mayor Steve Adler, iACT held a press conference responding to this presidential determination.

iACT Executive Director Simone Talma Flowers noted, “The U.S., the richest nation in the world, was at one point a nation that accepted the most refugees in the world. Here it is every year since 2016 the number has been decreasing.”

Austin Mayor Steve Adler said, “”Refugees represent peoples that have a deep respect for hard work and given the opportunity would share our commitment to the American dream. It is abhorrent that in our present political debate these people are being used as pawns. We are a great country. We are a great country with plenty of room.”

You can read more about the press conference here.

Please reach out to your senators and representatives to let them know that you support refugee resettlement in the United States and in Texas.