Over the July 4^th holiday, we saluted the men and women in uniform whose sacrifice make this country great, including our Afghan allies, many of whom face life-threatening danger for their service. The fight to save the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program that would bring them safely to the United States is far from over. Add your name to this petition to tell your members of Congress to uphold our promise to our allies and save the SIV.

For refugees living in the United States, July 4^th has a special meaning. The Times-Tribune collected the reflections of refugees from the Congo, Bhutan, and Nepal. Each endured years of hardship before reaching the United States. While their individual stories differ, they now share a common experience: the feeling of freedom. “We thank God for giving us this opportunity to bring us to a safe haven,” said one refugee. “We feel free, not persecution, free from any threats. We feel relief and at peace.”  

After a slow start, with only 1,300 refugees resettled within the first six months, the White House is now more than halfway to accomplishing its goal of settling 10,000 refugees by the end of September. Credit for the progress has been largely attributed to a surge in State Department and Department of Homeland Security staff, and in turn, an increased number of refugees being screened for resettlement.

Kara McBride of Human Rights First writes that this increased pace of refugee resettlement does not cut any corners when it comes to national security. While the resettlement process has improved in efficiency, the actual vetting of Syrian refugees remains robust, taking 18 to 24 months on average. Quoting Deputy National Security Advisor Avril Haines, McBride asserts: “if someone is seeking to harm us, coming as a refugee is perhaps the most difficult way to get in.”

In international news, an Italian Coast Guard operation rescued a staggering 4,500 refugees from the Mediterranean on Tuesday. In 35 separate rescue missions in the waters between Italy and Libya, the Italian military worked with aid groups such as Medecins Sans Frontiers to bring asylum seekers to safety, many of whom were stranded at sea in rubber boats, unprotected from the sun.

Italy also just recovered the bodies of 217 refugees lost in the Mediterranean after their ship capsized in April of last year. An Italian official believes that some 300 bodies remain unrecovered. The New York Times reports that at least 3,770 refugees are thought to have been killed traveling across the Mediterranean in 2015 alone.

Have reactions to share, or want to learn how you can be involved in our efforts to raise veteran voices in support of refugees? Find us on Facebook or Twitter, or contact us at vfai@humanrightsfirst.