Where Policy Meets People

Where Policy Meets People


From Stranger to Neighbor: Refugee Policy in 2021

September 01, 2021

President Biden’s recent Declaration to raise the refugee arrival cap and news coverage of tens of thousands of Afghan families fleeing their country has us wondering just how prepared is the United States to welcome the newcomer?  After several years of steadily declining refugee admissions in the US, is the refugee-serving system able to handle an influx of newcomers? And what of the United States’ role in a global response to displacement in places like Afghanistan and around the world?  Should we--and can we--lead by example?  To better understand these complex issues, we spoke Naomi Steinberg of HIAS and noted immigration attorney State Representative Joe Hohenstein.  Olha and Mohammed, two former refugees building new lives in Philadelphia, share their poignant stories of coming to America with not much more than their hopes and dreams.


 


Produced by


JEVS Human Services


PWPvideo