Refugees International

Appreciated this opportunity to talk about what's at stake with Elon's unconstitutional vendetta against USAID - and why all Americans should care. This isn't (just) about foreign aid - they are piloting a playbook that will be repeated across the federal government. https://lnkd.in/ejw95gnJ

In a deeply unconstitutional move, the Trump administration is giving Elon Musk free rein to destroy an essential tool of U.S. leadership in the world: USAID. If a billionaire can kill a federal agency and override Congress, we are in a constitutional crisis. The stakes are high. Shutting down USAID will not make America safer, stronger, nor more prosperous. Instead it will endanger millions of lives—particularly refugees and displaced people—around the world. #SaveUSAID Take action. Stay informed. Watch this space. https://lnkd.in/eB_2nWC4

Refugees are essential members of our communities, and we stand in solidarity with all of the people impacted by President Trump’s #RefugeeBan. Faith leaders, humanitarians, refugees, members of Congress, and resettlement agencies came together this week to affirm that welcoming refugees saves lives, unites families, and makes our communities stronger. #RefugeesWelcome

President Trump’s claim that the United States might seize control of Gaza and force out the Palestinian people is – in plain language – an endorsement of ethnic cleansing.  The proposal would be a historic crime against the Palestinians in Gaza, who have a right to self-determination and to return to their homes. Trump is amplifying the violent rhetoric of the most extreme voices in Israeli politics. This dangerous alignment not only fuels hate but also emboldens Israeli calls for annexation—an act that would escalate tensions to a boiling point and crush any chance for lasting peace and justice in the region. https://lnkd.in/ewQeUBFY

If Elon Musk succeeds in forcing the closure of USAID, it will be the most devastating US foreign policy blunder since the Iraq war. By any metric - lives lost, strategic harm to American security, collapse of American respect and standing in the world - it will be as damaging as that war, and likely more so. It is also a brutal and shameful betrayal of USAID personnel who have served their country with bravery, integrity, dedication, and honor. These are people who were forward deployed on reconstruction teams in Iraq and Afghanistan, who brought the global HIV epidemic under control, who have fought famines and stabilized fragile economies and charged headlong into Ebola hot zones. They represent the very best face of America abroad. Withdrawing them is a cowardly, underhanded, vengeful act by a small cabal of unelected, unconfirmed, unaccountable people who bear a deep vendetta against USAID and a senseless animus toward its mission of support and solidarity with people around the world. This action will kill people that America had committed to save; it will abandon people that America had committed to support; it will dramatically weaken our global influence and empower and embolden America's geopolitical rivals. Among those openly cheering Musk's campaign of destruction are the Houthis in Yemen and former Russian president Dmitri Medvedev. They are celebrating because they know that this makes America weaker, smaller, and more isolated - and make their own aims that much easier. This is a catastrophe, and without urgent Congressional and judicial action to stop it, the damage will endure for decades.

STATEMENT: The Trump administration has abruptly and without explanation stopped processing parole applications — a cruel and arbitrary policy decision that leaves thousands of people in danger. Parole is a critical supplementary form of protection — and these actions will immediately put lives at risk and tear families apart. Read our full statement from Yael Schacher for more. https://lnkd.in/drhqiHYa

I spoke to the Washington Post today about the dangerous lunacy of the new Trump administration aid freeze. This will kill many people if it is not lifted. As written, the global stop-work order halts ALL ongoing humanitarian relief activities, except food aid, in places like Syria, Sudan, Gaza. Also halts all global health programs. What this will mean in human terms: - US-funded relief operations in Gaza will have to halt amid the ongoing cease-fire. US-funded health clinics, nutrition support, safe water provision, etc etc will all have to stop work unless this is revised or waived. - Critical famine programs in Sudan will halt. Food aid will continue but all of the accompanying services that are equally vital to combating famine deaths (clean water, cholera treatment, nutrition etc) will stop work as the famine grows. - Refugee programs are also being halted, which will mean that Darfur refugees fleeing into Chad, or Afghans in Pakistan, or Rohingya in Bangladesh will find their services cut off. Beyond harming refugees, this will also create diplomatic rifts with hosting countries. - And all US assistance programs in Syria will halt amidst the ongoing political transition there. Beyond the immense human toll of this, what kind of signal does it send to the new leadership in Syria? - Millions of people on PEPFAR-funded antiretroviral treatments will find themselves cut off, risking a resurgence of the virus. HIV can rebound in under a month if no longer suppressed - threatening HIV+ people and risking wider epidemic spread. - Countless other ongoing lifesaving health programs tackling everything from cholera to malaria to TB to mpox outbreaks will grind to an immediate halt as well. - Routine immunization programs combating polio, measles, and other vaccine-preventable diseases will also halt, enabling the spread of disease and risking child mortality that could easily be prevented. It is no exaggeration whatsoever to say that following through on this policy will kill a lot of people. It will also shred US global credibility in much of the world, where our assistance programs are a huge share of our country partnerships. Hard to imagine a bigger public diplomacy coup for China than a bunch of headlines across the world about HIV treatment and other critical US programs being abruptly stopped until further notice. Huge harm to people all over the world. And just an absolute gift to US rivals. https://lnkd.in/eeiUu8sz

TAKE ACTION ON #SUDAN NOW: Senator Chris Van Hollen and Representative Sara Jacobs announced in a press release today that they have confirmed the #UAE is providing weapons to the #RSF in #Sudan, in direct contradiction to the assurances it has made to the United States. The evidence is mounting and damning. Contact your Senators TODAY and tell them there should be NO U.S. arms sales to the #UAE until they comply with their promise to stop supporting the RSF. Ending the UAE's support for the RSF will save countless innocent lives in #Sudan.

Join us tomorrow for an in-depth conversation making sense of President Trump's week one actions and what they mean for Refugees International's global advocacy. RSVP: https://lnkd.in/dhNipzT2

On his first day in office, President Trump signed a wave of extreme executive orders that aim to drastically reshape U.S. humanitarian and foreign policy. Join Refugees International for an in-depth conversation unpacking what these actions mean for our global advocacy—including impacts on people seeking refuge and opportunities to mobilize and protect the U.S. legacy of welcome. Featuring Jeremy Konyndyk, Mohammed Naeem; Yael Schacher, Kate Brick, Lucky Karim, Hardin Lang, Daniel P Sullivan, Jesse Marks, and Jocelyn Perry.