***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***
MARCH 6, 2017
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Evangelical Relief Organization World Relief Says Revised Trump Executive Order is More of the Same, Expresses Dismay at Ongoing Suspension of the Refugee Resettlement Program and Asks for Greater Commitment to Welcome World’s Refugees. World Relief Appeals to the General Public to Stand in the Gap.
“We stand with refugees. Standing with us are many thousands of American citizens in congregations and communities across the nation who have joined us in this cause.”
—Scott Arbeiter, World Relief President
BALTIMORE, MD – World Relief expresses ongoing concern at the Trump Administration’s decision to maintain a 120-day moratorium on the Refugee Admissions Program, excluding refugees from many of the world’s most vulnerable populations.
“The issuance of a new executive order on refugees and immigrants acknowledges that there were significant problems with the first executive order that caught up green card holders and others as they tried to enter to the United States. However, this new executive order does not solve the root problems with the initial order—the cutting of refugee admissions by 55% and the inability for some of the world’s most vulnerable refugees to come to the United States, it is more of the same,” said Tim Breene, CEO of World Relief.
Just two weeks ago, World Relief released a letter, which, at the time, had 650 church leaders signed on in support of refugees from every state in the country. As of today, the letter has garnered over 6,000 signatures from church leaders all across the country in support of refugees. “The breadth of support of church leaders across the country is astonishing,” said Arbeiter.
“While we support our government in ensuring our safety and security, we believe that compassion and security do not have to be mutually exclusive. We believe that the order simply remains disproportionate. In our national experience, the actions mandated by this executive order are inconsistent with the security record established by the refugee program since its inception and even since 9-11,” said Arbeiter.
World Relief’s mission is to empower the local church to serve the most vulnerable. The organization has done so, in part, by resettling refugees under seven different Presidential administrations for nearly forty years. World Relief calls on the administration to commit the resources and coordination needed for a rapid restoration of this life-saving program, which represents the historic compassion and courage of the American people. This includes carrying out the security review process as quickly as possible to ensure the program is not delayed any longer than necessary. We continue our commitment to being pro-security and pro-refugee.
“We stand with refugees. Standing with us are many thousands of American citizens in congregations and communities across the nation who have joined us in this cause,” said Arbeiter. “We will continue to appeal to churches throughout the U.S. to continue to support refugees.”
World Relief has publicly and privately expressed its willingness to work with the incoming administration to improve the program while ensuring greater understanding and greater confidence in its existing strengths.
To learn more about World Relief’s efforts to care for refugees already in the United States and in vulnerable communities through the world, visit: worldrelief.org/welcome.
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World Relief is a global humanitarian relief and development organization that stands with the vulnerable and partners with local churches to end the cycle of suffering, transform lives and build sustainable communities. With over 70 years of experience, World Relief works in 20 countries worldwide through disaster response, health and child development, economic development and peacebuilding and has offices in the United States that specialize in refugee and immigration services.
Website | worldrelief.org Twitter | @WorldRelief