"U.S. Record on Refugees Reflects Domestic and Global Challenges"

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/14/world/middleeast/us-obama-refugees.html?

Summary:

4.4 million Syrians have fled their homes since the conflict began almost five years ago. In 1951, in the aftermath of World War II, the International Refugee Convention was forged, require countries to offer protection to those scattered by war and persecution. The costs of taking in refugees have grown and they payoff seem to have diminished, and many views of the International Refugee Convention have shifted and as a result. Around the world, many countries have been accepting Syrian refugees seeking asylum so they can have a safe place to live. However, the political costs of keeping refugees is high. In the United States, many people are concerned about terrorists sneaking in through refugee programs. There are also political figures in the United States and in Europe, such as Donald J. Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, and Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary, who are openly opposed to accepting Muslims. After the Cold War the United States took in around 207,000 refugees and this made the United Sates seem like quite the welcoming place. However, this practically ground to a halt after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Where the Syrian refugees are now, many are stuck below the poverty line, many can’t get a job or receive and education. Europe is even paying Turkey billions of euros to stop refugees from trying to reach European shores.

Impact Statement:
This has impacted me in multiple ways. On the news I hear about the Syrian refugee crisis and I hear about it in some of my classes but I never see numbers put to the topic so I never fully comprehend the gravity of the situation. I understand why refugee’s could possibly be a threat to our national security however, the United States is known for being a “melting pot” of diversity and second chances. We shouldn’t be welcoming the refugees with open arms, but we should be screening them and giving them places to stay and food to eat. We should be taking care of our fellow humans; not discriminating them by race, or religion, such as done by Donald J. Trump, and Viktor Orban, in this article.