New York Times Interactive Map Illustrates the Slow Pace of U.S. Resettlement of Syrian Refugees 3NOV15

I know these people are fleeing horrible conditions. War, political repression, economic distress, lack of all basic freedoms, basically everything guaranteed in the Declaration of Human Rights. The U.S. should be doing a lot more for the refugees from Iraq and Afghanistan, should be resettling everyone who wants to come to America if they worked with the military and the U.S. government during the wars. But I do not agree that we should be taking in more Syrian refugees than the 10,000 we have committed to. I would rather see Europe continue to offer asylum to these people from Africa and across the Maghreb and commit to integrating them into their societies. They are fleeing conflict and economic hardship that has it's roots in European colonialism and occupation after WW II, Europe should shoulder most of the responsibility for a situation they helped create. I do feel that the U.S. should be doing more for refugees from Latin America. It is estimated there are 11 MILLION undocumented immigrants in the U.S. The majority of these people are conflict and economic refugees from Latin America. Just as Europe has been struggling with this wave of humanity seeking peace and a better life, the U.S., as wealthy as we are, and as the Christian nation many proclaim us to be, should have in place a system that welcomes these tired and poor, providing assistance as need and legal status to all who qualify allowing them to become part of our nation. We also have to admit America is responsible for much of the political instability and conflict in Latin America due to our political, military and corporate interference in the region. The First World nations are facing a huge humanitarian crisis across the globe, history and God will judge each nation by how we respond. This from +Human Rights First

November 03, 2015

New York Times Interactive Map Illustrates the Slow Pace of U.S. Resettlement of Syrian Refugees

By Mary Elizabeth Margolis

Since 2012 the United States has resettled only 1,854 Syrian refugees—a small fraction of the four million people who have fled horrific violence in search of safety. A new interactive map from The New York Times illustrates the slow trickle of these refugees arriving in 130 American cities.
New York Times reporter Haeyoun Park notes that despite the president’s meager commitment to resettle at least 10,000 Syrian refugees in the next year, Syrian refugees still account for only a small share of all refugees who are admitted to the United States. Indeed, the United States has done much more in previous major world conflicts to protect refugees.
"The United States has also admitted far larger numbers in the past. In 1979, it provided sanctuary to 111,000 Vietnamese refugees, and in 1980, it added another 207,000. Around the same time, the country took in more than 120,000 Cuban refugees during the Mariel boatlift, including around 80,000 in one month alone.”


Human Rights First continues to press the Obama Administration to demonstrate strong leadership to address the largest refugee crisis since World War II by leading a comprehensive global effort – in partnership with European allies – to advance the protection of Syrian refugees. This must include a major resettlement initiative by the United States, the world leader in refugee resettlement, to the tune of resettling at least 100,000 Syrian refugees next year. For more information, visit the Human Rights First Syria topic page.