New York, NY, June 19, 2020 —  On World Refugee Day, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) celebrates the contributions of refugees to communities across America, even if it means putting themselves in harm’s way. As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, thousands of refugees in the U.S. are on the front lines, from doctors and nurses to Uber Drivers and factory workers. More than 150,000 refugees also work in jobs vital to America’s economic recovery, and one in five refugees resettled in the U.S. by the International Rescue Committee this year immediately took positions in healthcare and the food industry, supporting the U.S.’s COVID-19 pandemic response.

Yet, UNHCR announced another new record of 79.5 million refugees and displaced people this week. The global resettlement needs for 2020 are almost 20 percent higher than those of 2018, reflecting both protracted and more recent displacement situations in more than sixty countries, according to a separate UNHCR report.

Hans Van de Weerd, Vice President of Resettlement, Asylum, and Integration at the IRC said:

“This World Refugee Day, we recognize that when we allow refugees to rebuild their lives here, they strengthen our communities on every level. Refugee resettlement to the U.S. must resume as soon as possible as public health regulations permit. The administration should ensure that the pause to refugee resettlement is indeed temporary, that it remains in place only as justified by public health reasons, and that refugees whose travel to the U.S. was delayed due to the pandemic should be prioritized to the greatest extent possible.

“At this moment, communities in the U.S. and around the world are uniting against racism and violence against people of color, and Black people in particular. The refugee experience in America offers powerful lessons of both the scourge of existing discrimination but also the power of American communities to come together and to welcome refugees and diversity over xenophobia and hate. On World Refugee Day, we must listen to and amplify the messages of solidarity - including that Black Lives Matter - from so many communities around the world that are coming together to oppose racism and discrimination in all of its forms.”

Refugees and their role in the COVID-19 response

Over 15 percent of all refugees work in the healthcare sector. Every year for nearly a decade, 10,000 refugees have participated in the IRC’s healthcare career pathway programs. Almost all of these professionals are now on the frontlines of America’s COVID response, and more than 90 percent of refugees who participated in the IRC’s workforce programs were hired in essential roles in grocery stores, transportation/delivery, food production, and healthcare, enabling their communities to safely shelter in place. Nationally, there are 46,000 refugees in food processing, 31,000 in grocery stores and supermarkets, and over 77,500 in restaurants and food service. These contributions come despite refugee communities facing disproportionate impact from COVID-19.

Hundreds of refugees and immigrants, who are health care professionals abroad but not credentialed in America, are signing up for Refugees.Rescue.org to work in testing, contact tracing, or in the healthcare system all across the US.

Refugee resettlement slow-down

Prior to its pause of the U.S. refugee resettlement program, the Trump administration set a new record-low goal for refugee admission every year: 45,000 in FY 2018, 30,000 in FY 2019, and 18,000 in FY 2020. This year’s goal of 18,000 refugees constitutes a 74 percent decrease from the next-lowest cap during the George W. Bush administration (70,000). This ceiling represents a 92 percent decrease from the robust refugee admissions ceiling under the Jimmy Carter administration. The Trump administration also cut admissions of Syrian refugees by 96 percent between FY16 and FY 19, despite there being an estimated 600,000 Syrian refugees in need of resettlement in 2019.