Christians must embrace responsibility to refugees
By Jen Smyers
For the past two months, my prayers have focused on a young woman, Rebecca*, and her infant child. A refugee from Somalia, Rebecca fled persecution and sought safety in a refugee camp in Kenya. After years of waiting — including more than two years of interviews, medical tests and security screenings — Rebecca was set to begin a new chapter of her life in the United States. She gave up her shelter, sold her few belongings, and took an eight-hour bus ride to a transit center where, with her paperwork all in order, she waited for her flight.
But then, on January 27, she learned that President Donald J. Trump had signed an executive order immediately stopping all refugee admissions for four months and drastically reducing resettlement overall. Rebecca was forced to return to the refugee camp. When resettlement resumed about a week later due to a court injunction, her pregnancy was declared too advanced to allow her to travel. Just recently, she gave birth in the refugee camp. When she recovers, she will have to begin many parts of the process again with her new baby now included in her case, a process that could take years.
What some might label political realities or shifts in public policy have real, human consequences for Rebecca and many of our neighbors, near and far. Husbands who have waited years for their wives, mothers who have been separated from their children, all will wait months or even years longer because of this administration’s policies. Unfortunately, refugee resettlement, which has always had bipartisan support, is in the crosshairs of policymakers who seem unaware of its history and importance.
Refugee resettlement is a life-saving tradition started by churches in response to World War II. Since then the United States has welcomed Vietnamese refugees, Darfuri genocide survivors, and Burmese religious and ethnic minorities. In addition to its humanitarian value, resettlement is part of the implementation of U.S. foreign policy, safeguarding regional stability and encouraging other countries to keep their doors open to refugees.
We haven’t always gotten it right. In 1939, the U.S. government intercepted the SS St. Louis, an oceanliner with Jewish refugees onboard who were fleeing Nazi Germany. When we reflect on the fact that our country sent these individuals back to their deaths, our hearts are rightfully filled with sorrow and shame, and we often proclaim that we will never let that happen again. Right now, our nation faces a similar choice. Will we turn our backs on the world’s most vulnerable people seeking safety? Or will we welcome people as we would have others welcome us, if circumstances were reversed?
These decisions are being made not only at the White House, but also by the U.S. Congress, state legislatures and local policymakers. They’re considering legislation that would negatively impact refugees and immigrants, as well as pro-refugee resolutions that would safeguard resettlement and demonstrate to refugees that they are welcome here. Each of us has a responsibility to call, write and meet with our local, state and national leaders and urge them to exercise moral courage and do everything in their power to welcome refugees. We must also educate and engage our families, friends, neighbors, congregations and communities. This level of engagement is democracy at its best, and how people of faith and good conscience make a difference. The question for Christians is: Will apathy or compassion lead our actions?
We have powerful role models who have called on their leaders for change. Esther defied the law to beg the king to spare her people (Esther 4–9). Daniel, who found favor in the king’s eyes, still refused to eat his food and continued to pray in public despite the consequences (Daniel 1 and 6). And the persistent widow won justice from an unjust judge (Luke 18:1–8). May we emulate these steadfast individuals, who have paved the way for us to be faithful witnesses to our own policymakers.
One place to start is GreaterAs1.org, where you will find action alerts, toolkits for meeting with your national, state and local policymakers, a state-by-state list of resettlement offices, and resources to educate your community about refugee resettlement. The relationships you build with refugees, immigrants, community members and policymakers can truly transform hearts, minds, policies and the lives of individuals like Rebecca. Each small step counts, and each of us can do a bit more in such a time as this. Just ask Esther, Daniel and that persistent widow.
* Name changed to protect privacy.
Jen Smyers is director of policy and advocacy for the immigration and refugee program at Church World Service.
The views expressed are those of the author or authors alone, and not those of the American Baptist Home Mission Societies.
