An evangelical organization that resettles refugees and brings relief to beleaguered areas across the globe has released a statement surrounding the one-year anniversary of President Donald Trump’s so-called “travel ban,” saying that the controversial executive order and its derivatives have been a “net loss” for the U.S.
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World Relief noted that Saturday, Jan. 27, will mark the anniversary of Trump’s controversial order that placed limits on the number of refugees coming to the U.S. — a measure that the group said has left scores of refugees in a dire position.
“Thousands of men, women and children from countries such as Syria, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Myanmar, who in years past would have found America to be a place of refuge and hope, have sadly been denied the opportunity to seek shelter on our shores this past year,” the statement read.
World Relief said that there has been a 63 percent drop in the number of Christian refugees allowed into the U.S. when compared to the last year of former President Barack Obama’s presidency. Meanwhile, there has reportedly been an 80 percent decrease when it comes to Muslim refugees being allowed into the U.S.
The total number of refugees who came to America in 2017 was 29,725, compared to 99,183 the year before, showing just how dramatic the slowdown has been.
Rather than simply distribute the numbers, though, World Relief made it clear that the organization believes these changes have not been good for the U.S., nor for people across the world in need of dire assistance. Refugee families, the statement said, make America a stronger country.
“Make no mistake, this has been a net loss for our country. For centuries, families from around the world have made America their home after escaping horrors similar to the ones in countries that have been affected by various incarnations of the travel ban,” the statement read. “These families have become an intricate part of the fabric of our country — working here, paying taxes here, raising their children here and sharing with all of us the amazing testimony of overcoming adversity.”
The Trump administration has created three different versions of the travel ban over the past year, as debate and legal wrangling continue to ring out. But it’s possible that a solution could soon come, as the U.S. Supreme Court is set to review Trump’s latest order and decide on the constitutional merits of the measures held within.
Find out more about World Relief here.