At Carry the Future, we believe in a world in which a child’s safety and future always come first. We believe that families belong together and we know during times of crisis and upheaval the family unit’s wholeness and safety are essential. The harm of travel bans and family separation will have lasting effects, which is why we are optimistic about the long-standing tradition of refugee resettlement being reinstated by the new administration this week. We are hopeful that the actions taken this week will allow families to remain together –or be reunited– as they continue on their journey to safety.
Refugee resettlement has historically been a bipartisan tradition, a beautiful part of what makes civil society in the United States so rich. For decades, the United States has welcomed those fleeing war, violence, and persecution. As the inscription on the Statue of Liberty reads, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…” We believe the proud tradition of welcoming immigrants and refugees to America is one of the things that makes this country a “Shining City on the Hill,” and a global leader for how we treat the world’s most vulnerable people.
The United States can lead the rest of the world in how we treat those in our midst who have faced the unthinkable. The rest of the global community will, once again, look to America when considering their own refugee resettlement plans. We hope that the actions taken this week will provide a glimmer of hope to families who are fleeing violence and persecution or subsisting in camps around the world.
We believe in the power of welcoming refugees, honoring their stories, and undertaking everything with dignity and compassion. We encourage you to stand up for refugee families around the globe by sharing your own stories of hope and welcome, generosity and compassion. We encourage you to SAY YES to refugees by boldly reclaiming our long tradition of welcome. In return, we pledge that Carry the Future will continue to do the same. Together we can move the needle toward positive global action on behalf of refugee families.