Refugee Congress Congratulates President- & Vice-President-Elect

Refugee Congress Congratulates President-Elect Biden & Vice-President-Elect Harris

For Immediate Release: Nov. 9, 2020

WASHINGTON—Refugee Congress congratulates President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice-President-Elect Kamala Harris.

“We are encouraged by President-Elect Biden’s stated commitment to welcome refugees and immigrants, restore the refugee resettlement program and provide asylum protections,” said Lourena Gboeah, Chairperson of the Refugee Congress Board of Directors and Delegate for Delaware. “We look forward to working with the new Administration to rebuild these critical programs and undo the harmful, anti-immigrant efforts we have seen unfold over the past four years.”

This election saw record-breaking voter turnout despite the challenges of voting during a pandemic, and the election of the nation’s first female, first Black and first South Asian vice-president-elect. Many former refugees, asylees and immigrants were active in voter education and registration efforts, and many former refugees and immigrants ran for elected positions across the country.

“We congratulate the former refugees and immigrants whose hard work helped ensure all community members had an opportunity to be a part of the democratic process,” said Nili Sarit Yossinger, National Director of Refugee Congress. “Refugee Congress is committed to continuing to build active, engaged refugee and immigrant communities because we believe our nation is stronger when these voices are a part of the conversation.”

Refugee Congress looks forward to a peaceful transition of power and to continuing our work to welcome and provide protections for refugees, asylum-seekers and immigrants. The refugee crisis worldwide is at an all-time high, with 26 million refugees in need of aid while less than one percent are ever resettled, and it is critical that the new Administration take quick action upon taking office to ensure refugee, asylum and immigration protections are ensured.

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Refugee Congress is a nonpartisan advocacy organization built and led by former refugees, asylum-seekers and other vulnerable migrants to promote the well-being, integration and dignity of all vulnerable migrants. With delegates across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, we use our voices and experiences to inform and influence decision-makers on critical domestic and international issues that affect our communities.  www.refugeecongress.org.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Kacy Kostiuk, Communications Manager, (202) 905-6238, kacy.kostiuk@refugeecongress.org

image source: Adam Schultz / Biden for President