Monday, Refugee Council USA gathered with security experts to discuss the impact of record-low refugee arrivals. Tomorrow, March 31, marks the mid-way point of the 2018 fiscal year. Thus far, the administration has resettled only a quarter of the 45,000 refugees it pledged to take in. Eleanor Acer of Human Rights First said, “only 42 Syrian refugees have arrived to the United States so far this fiscal year calling into question the U.S.’ interest in providing critical stabilizing support to regions undergoing protracted crises.” As the flow of refugees slow to a trickle, advocates and concerned U.S. citizens continue to ask, #WhereRTheRefugees? 

This week, U.S. bishops also spoke out and expressed their concern over extraordinarily low refugee limits. Bishop Joe Vasquez shared, “The current level of refugee arrivals leaves thousands of vulnerable people in harm’s way and searching for protection...Most often they are at-risk women and children who are too vulnerable to remain in the region...” The bishops sent a letter to the State Department and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, stating that they were particularly concerned that the U.S. continues to deny admittance to Christian refugees and other persecuted minorities.

This Wednesday, faith-leaders also gathered in front of the White House to decry historic-low refugee arrivals and to wash the feet of refugees. Right before the ritual, a Catholic woman, Sister Marie Lucey, placed a hand on a Sudanese refugee and quietly said, “I welcome you my brother.” Reflecting on the event, Lucey shared that it was a great privilege to be able to wash the feet of refugees and hear their incredible stories.

You may remember learning about Iraqi refugee, Hazim Avdal, from an earlier VFAI weekly news report. Yesterday, the University of Chicago sat down with Hazim and shared more of his story. Hazim graduated from high school as the seventh highest scoring student in all of Iraq in 2013 and was accepted to the University of Mosul’s College of Medicine. Before he could attend, however, Yazidi students were purged from the college by al-Qaeda. The Yazidi genocide began and Hazim’s college dreams vanished. In the midst of profound pain, Hazim decided to help survivors of genocide and the Yazidi women who escaped captivity.

Air Force captain, Alea Nadeem, shared that her childhood in Iraq significantly influenced her military career. Her background as an Iraqi-American also has had an important impact on her, especially in her current work as an intelligence officer. She shares, "We need that cultural aspect. We need people with different views."