Danny Lopez: Reform—don’t end—refugee resettlement policy

It’s unsurprising, but it seems meaningful immigration reform will have to wait. And wait. And wait some more. The bevy of false choice-laden rhetoric that passes for substantive immigration debate in today’s America should surprise no one. The discourse in Washington around most tough issues seems to dissolve into fiery tripe, and the topic of immigration is among the toughest for even reasonable, well-meaning policymakers.

Disheartening as it is that two decades-worth of Congresses have not mustered the will to deal with our nation’s outdated immigration laws, unconfirmed reports last month that the administration is entertaining the notion of all-but-ending America’s refugee admissions program, if true, are concerning.

It would be disingenuous of me to ignore that this issue is a personal one. My own grandparents came to Miami from Cuba in 1960, refugees who sought asylum in America not knowing what would become of their homes and their homeland. That experience forged in my family a fierce patriotism and citizenship that my siblings and I pass down to our own children, a sense of overprotectiveness of core American values common in those who know better than most how quickly those values can erode.

For nearly three quarters of a century after World War II, U.S. refugee resettlement policy has served as a lifesaver for millions of people fleeing tyranny across the globe. It has restored hope to those crushed under the heavy boot of religious persecution. It has provided safety for targets of political oppression and their families, their children and the generations that follow them. It has for decades represented all that is powerful and good and unique about our nation to millions and millions of people.

Just as significantly, America’s asylum and resettlement program is an important arrow in our foreign diplomacy quiver. As the conservative Heritage Foundation pointed out in a 2017 report, “Refugee-hosting countries are often fragile, and the challenge of caring for and managing refugees can exacerbate their instability. Some of these countries are also American allies. Given the prominence of refugee resettlement, resettling even small numbers of refugees to the U.S. from such countries sends a message of solidarity and support to important allies.” While the program undeniably needs reforming and updating, as do nearly all aspects of our 20th century immigration system, America’s willingness to responsibly maintain the program allows us to assert much-needed influence and leadership in times of crisis.

Here in Indiana, refugee resettlement has helped shape and strengthen Hoosier communities. The influx of Burmese refugees to Fort Wayne and Indianapolis is perhaps most notable. These communities have grown to more than 23,000 people statewide, assimilating in the process. According to the Burmese American Community Institute, college enrollment, persistence and completion rates have risen more sharply than those of Hoosier students generally, something that will doubtless matter to Indiana’s business community hungry to retain talented Hoosiers.

It is also true that the refugee resettlement program has been altered and even suspended before, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is correct to note that the number of refugees admitted by the United States should not be considered the only measure of America’s generosity and humanitarianism worldwide. It is ludicrous to suggest otherwise.

But, at a time when America needs more young people, stronger allies, and a demonstration of goodness and decency worldwide, it is more prudent to reform our refugee admission policy than to scrap it.•

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Lopez is senior vice president and chief of staff at Strada Education Network. He previously served as Gov. Eric Holcomb’s deputy chief of staff and chairman of the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet.Send comments to ibjedit@ibj.com.