According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), an unprecedented 70.8 million people around the world have been forced from home. Among them are nearly 25.9 million refugees, over half of whom are under the age of 18. Two-thirds of these refugees are fleeing five hot spots: Syria, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Myanmar and Somalia.

Historically, no nation has been more welcoming to refugees than the United States, resettling more refugees than any other country.

But the Trump Administration has no intention of continuing this proud history. In fact, the administration intends to do the opposite. In September 2019 the administration proposed drastically cutting the number of refugees permitted to enter the U.S. annually to 18,000; the high point over the last decade was 85,000.

Even more troubling, an Executive Order dated September 26, 2019 permits local communities in the U.S. to turn their backs on refugees. Pursuant to the Executive Order, states and localities would have to consent, in writing, to accepting refugees already vetted by the Department of Homeland Security.