Statement: US refugee ban announcement

The US suspension of its refugee resettlement program for ‘national security reasons’ sets a concerning precedent that risks creating harm and uncertainty for some of the world’s most vulnerable people. 

As a signatory to the Geneva Convention, the US has a duty to provide safe haven to people fleeing war and persecution — even more so for those refugees who have already been granted visas to the country and in transit. 

This decades-old resettlement program has a legacy of bipartisan support, supplemented by a strong eco-system of US settlement organisations and other actors that remain committed to supporting the rights of refugees. 

This suspension will leave tens of thousands of refugees across the world in limbo, with greater strain placed on an already stretched third-party resettlement allocations. The impact will also be felt in the US, where the refugee and settlement sector has expertly and diligently resettled refugees who have gone on to contribute greatly to the country. 

The latest change follows an overall decline in the US’s refugee intake in recent years, which has left a significant gap in global placement numbers. We call on all resettlement countries, including Australia, to explore mechanisms for increasing their refugee intake, including exploring complementary resettlement pathways such as community sponsorship. 

Resettlement and complementary pathways offer a lifeline to individuals and families forced from their homes by war and persecution. In turn, refugees make significant cultural and economic contributions to their new homes, both enrichening and strengthening the communities in which they settle. 

As individual contributors, we can also ease the burden this suspension places on refugee host countries and non-profits supporting refugees while they await resettlement. These include: 

• UNHCR 

• WHO

• IOM