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Providing sanctuary to vulnerable people is an obligation the United States shares with other nations, reflected in domestic and international law. Every year, thousands of families, unaccompanied children, and individuals from around the world come to the United States seeking protection from danger and persecution. They do so through one of two processes: refugee resettlement or asylum.
The reasons people flee their homes and embark on sometimes perilous journeys toward safety vary by region but are often interrelated. For asylum-seekers and refugees, leaving becomes the only viable option, as staying safely is no longer possible. Although every asylum seeker and refugee has their own journey and story, they may have faced similar challenges and circumstances—such as unstable national conditions, conflict or war, human rights abuses, and insecurity. These issues may be exacerbated by inequality, widespread crime, corruption, and climate change. Every asylum seeker, whether they arrive from Central America, Cameroon, or China, has been forced from their home by some traumatic event. Seeking asylum is their right, but the current asylum system in the U.S. has made gaining asylum here increasingly difficult.
People of many faiths in the U.S. share deeply held and broadly affirmed beliefs that we should show hospitality and mercy to those who come from outside our community. Whether we call them “sojourners,” “aliens,” “strangers,” or “foreigners,” we recognize as siblings those who come to our shores for shelter. To learn more about asylum and refugee policies, and for opportunities to take action, visit the Issues area of this website.