America’s Forgotten Program: Why Refugee Resettlement Matters More Than Ever

I’ve seen the power of the United States Refugee Program up close. After more than three years working in resettlement, I’ve witnessed the American Dream in motion—real families rebuilding their lives, contributing to their communities, and proving that opportunity and dignity are still possible here. Despite what much of the media or Republican politicians claim, these individuals do not simply “walk in.” They are subjected to one of the most rigorous vetting processes administered by the U.S. State Department.

It is telling that the conspiracy-driven right refuses to trust the very federal systems that keep Americans safe, yet has no hesitation spreading misinformation about refugees. That long-running undercurrent of paranoia within modern conservative politics has now become its defining feature.

What I didn’t expect, however, was the near silence from today’s Democratic Party—a willingness to let the Refugee Program fade from national conversation, as if millions of future Americans can be ignored simply because they cannot yet vote. That absence of political courage is as damaging as the right’s fear-mongering.

While Washington leaders and several governors immerse themselves in rhetoric that undermines the national motto E Pluribus Unum, the reality is clear: refugees and immigrants bring immense economic strength to the United States. According to the Center for Migration Studies of New York (CMS), immigrants—regardless of status—paid $382.9 billion in federal taxes and $196.3 billion in state and local taxes in 2022. They also contributed $25.7 billion to Social Security, $6.4 billion to Medicare, and $1.8 billion to unemployment-insurance funds, even though many cannot access the benefits they help sustain.

Perhaps Mr. Trump, his Republican colleagues, and the Democrats who mimic their talking points should keep those figures in mind before disparaging people whose labor and tax dollars keep this country functioning.

For many longtime Americans and for many who arrive hoping for a better life, the idea of the American Dream has been suffocated—deliberately—by Donald Trump and the Republican Party. In less than a year, they transformed a national aspiration into a political weapon. So the next time someone parrots harmful, exclusionary rhetoric, ask them why they reject our founding ideals. Ask them if they understand the baseless nonsense coming out of their mouths. My guess: confronted with the facts, they’d retreat to the corner and grow quiet.

The next president—hopefully a Democrat—will face an enormous task on day one. They must restore the truth that the United States remains the last, best hope for people fleeing oppression. That begins with reaffirming the country’s commitment to welcoming refugees and rebuilding the program that has long served as a beacon for those yearning to be free.