In response to President Obama’s foreign policy speech today in Hannover, Germany describing the need for continued engagement in the refugee crisis, Amnesty International USA’s interim executive director Margaret Huang, issued the following statement:
“President Obama was right to underscore the plight of refugees in his speech, but the tragic truth is that the U.S. is not doing nearly enough. There hasn’t been a refugee crisis of this magnitude since World War II, and the U.S. needs to show leadership immediately. There are millions of people living in dire conditions, facing sexual assault or losing their families – and mere rhetoric will not get them the help they desperately need.
“Refugees are fleeing horrific violence, and all states have an obligation to protect them. Denying refugee families, who have risked everything, a safe haven is shameful.
“President Obama needs to further increase the number of refugees the U.S. accepts annually and should push Congress to provide the appropriations necessary to ensure that resettled refugees, and refugees globally, have the support they need. Now is the time to do more – not less – for refugees.”