Today, March 17, marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Refugee Act of 1980. This landmark legislation formally established the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program, an enduring symbol of this country’s commitment to welcome those fleeing persecution, and created the first statutory basis for asylum, through which people who arrive at the U.S. border can start new lives free from harm.
The act declared that the United States would “respond to the urgent needs of persons subject to persecution in their homelands.”
Since 1980, there have been more than 3 million refugees resettled in the United States, and more than 721,000 people have been granted asylum. I count myself among these beneficiaries of the Refugee Act of 1980.
I became a refugee at the age of 9 and survived almost 20 years of refugee life in Nepal; about one-sixth of Bhutan’s population became refugees in the early 1990s. During this time, I slept many nights without food, drank from the farm canal, crushed rocks at the riverbank and made little cash to survive. My happiness knew no bounds when I was accepted to rebuild my life here in this great nation.
The Refugee Act of 1980 was adopted with overwhelming bipartisan support and passed unanimously in the Senate. Today, however, the future of refugee resettlement is under attack. Recent actions by the current administration have sought to dismantle this popular, lifesaving program.
The administration has halted refugee resettlement for months at a time, banned travelers from specific countries, attempted to end pathways for family reunification, tried to allow states and localities to block refugee resettlement, and cut the number of refugees resettled by more than 80%. These policies are preventing refugees in need from being resettled in the U.S. and keeping families apart.
In the spirit of the Refugee Act of 1980, we need to ensure we are protecting refugee and asylum access for those seeking refuge in the United States.
I am forever grateful to the American people for giving me an opportunity to rebuild my life through resettlement in the U.S. This would have been impossible without Americans’ long-standing bipartisan tradition of welcoming refugees. For decades, Americans with all different political beliefs have welcomed those forced from their homes.
I remember that first day at the airport. My caseworker came to receive our team. Somehow, people figured out that we were refugees. They genuinely showed their empathy by assuring us that everything would be all right. Volunteers, neighbors and resettlement officers continuously came to assist me by teaching various life and adaptation skills. With their continuous support and care, I started working one month after my arrival. For the first time in 20 years, I got my first paycheck and celebrated this triumph.
According to the UNHCR, there are more than 70 million forcibly displaced people worldwide, including 25.9 million refugees. This is the highest number in recorded history.
However, at this time of great global need, our American government has taken steps to reverse this country’s long history as a welcoming nation and world leader in refugee protection and resettlement. We are turning our backs on the values of compassion and the bipartisan plans laid out in the Refugee Act of 1980.
Last fall, the administration set the refugee resettlement admissions cap at 18,000. This is the lowest cap in history, and we are not currently on course to meet that number due to other restrictions and impediments in place.
Communities across the country are asking our elected leaders to honor the Refugee Act of 1980 and restore resettlement to historic norms, at an average of 95,000 per year.
This is not only a moral step but a smart economic one. Refugees contribute to our communities culturally, civically and economically. A Department of Health and Human Services study found that refugees made a net contribution of $63 billion to government revenue over the last decade. Within a few months of their arrival, they start looking for jobs, and continue their education, and start a business. Within 10 years of my arrival, I began my academic journey from ESL and graduated in 2018. My wife owns a small business and is working hard to expand to other locations. Refugees are hard-working and entrepreneurial. They just need a few months of support; after that, they will start contributing to the economy and the community at large.
This country was founded on the hard work, determination and skills of generations of immigrants from many different countries, religions and backgrounds. On this 40th anniversary of the Refugee Act, let’s remember and celebrate the incredible ongoing contributions of refugees, asylum-seekers and immigrants.
I call on my members of Congress to draw on the same spirit that made their peers come together 40 years ago to pass the Refugee Act. It’s time to stand together to ensure our legacy is not undermined, and our commitment to welcome remains intact for the next 40 years and beyond.
(Suraj Budathoki is a former refugee from Bhutan. He is a Norwich University graduate and lives in Manchester.)