A New Day for Refugees in Texas

By Adam Babiker

I am a U.S. Army veteran. Last month I walked the halls of Congress with fellow Veterans for American Ideals leaders. We fought for our wartime allies, seeking more visas for the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa program. We also fought for all of those displaced from their homes in the ongoing world refugee crisis.

And we won a small victory– 2,500 new visas were included in the spending bill that passed on May 4, 2017. But we knew the battle wasn’t over, and that the fight goes far beyond Washington.

After finishing my service tour in Iraq, I now help resettle refugees and Special Immigrant Visa holders in Texas. I know the real work ultimately begins and ends in our communities.

I know this, because the Houston resettlement organization that I work with resettled me. I am a former refugee.

I fled Sudan in 2006 during the genocide in Darfur, and not one day passes that I do not recall the horrific violence that took place there. Nor can I forget the strength and courage of those Darfurians who gathered their families and few belongings and made the long journey to safety, looking for home.

I found my home in Texas. The open arms I received from the people of Houston inspired me to give back. As a refugee with little to give, I repaid my debt the only way I knew how. I enlisted in the military.

Serving with the U.S. Army in Iraq, I again saw the devastation of war. But I also saw further proof of what we as Americans can do to be part of the solution. We are a beacon, a force for good, and a symbol to the rest of the world. We help the oppressed and welcome the victims of war.

That’s why last week I joined a group of over 150 Texans at the state capitol in Austin. For the first time ever, advocates, refugees, citizens—and, yes, military veterans—convened in the heart of the Lone Star State to tackle this issue. We spoke to 88 Texas representatives and countless staffers, telling the stories of American dreams being realized in cities across our great state. It was my privilege to represent both Veterans for American Ideals and the Darfurian Association of Greater Houston.

While this event was the first of its kind in Austin, we made sure it would not be the last. In recognition of our efforts—and more importantly, the success and achievements of resettled refugees in Texas—lawmakers unanimously passed a resolution naming May 10th as Refugee Advocacy Day.

I know that the refugee crisis is a continuing one, and will strive to support efforts overseas and in Washington to ensure that America remains a leader in the refugee crisis. That work makes me a proud American.

And on each 10th of May, and every day, you will find me and many other Texans working to make our state a leader on refugees, too.

I am a veteran, a former refugee, a Muslim, and yes, a proud Texan. This is my America.