Abdel was only a child. At age 7, he found himself in a Syrian refugee camp with his mother and 2 siblings. His father was back in their war-stricken town trying to earn money for them and keep his home safe. This kid had seen more horrors than anyone young or old deserved to see. Abdel is one of the millions who fled from the terrifying war in Syria. But he and his family are struggling to get away from all the carnage. Europe soon will reach its limit, and children like Abdel will have nowhere to go. The USA will have to finally step up and play its part in supporting refugees. Thanks to the war in Syria, over 11 million of the 22 million of Syria’s residents are now refugees. Syrians account for a quarter of the entire planet’s refugee population. Currently, Europe is home to most of these people. However, the USA must do its part to help them. Europe’s countries cannot support all the Syrians, and some are beginning to close their doors. The US must allow more refugees from Syria because they are unsafe in their own country and because the US is a nation of immigrants. We should follow in the footsteps of Europe--and we shouldn’t base our policies on fear.
There are many reasons as to why we should be letting in more refugees, one of which being Syrians are in a lot of danger in their own country. To reject them would mean sending them back to their country where they experience war and famine. In a CNN article, Ashley Fantz shows us some of the shocking statistics that reveal how desperately Syrians need our help. Fantz writes, “More than 250,000 people have died since the violence broke out in Syria in 2011, and at least 11 million people in the country of 22 million have fled their homes. Syrians are now the world's largest refugee population, according to the United Nations”(Fantz). This really shows how desperate people are to get out of Syria. It is much too unsafe to live there any longer. The US must allow more Syrians into the US because it is very dangerous where they are currently living. Sending them back to Syria would mean sending them back to experience terrible living conditions. Bernie Sanders, a presidential candidate, started a petition last year in November. He discussed why the refugees need the help of the US. It reads, “In terms of the Syrian refugee situation we are now facing, now is not the time for us to succumb to racism and bigotry…When hundreds of thousands of people have lost everything and have nothing left but the shirts on their backs, we should not turn our backs on these refugees escaping violence in the Middle East…Syrians and other refugees from the Middle East are escaping unspeakable horrors”(Sanders, 1). In short, Sanders believes that we should be admitting refugees because they need help after they lost almost everything in the crossfire of the war that is happening there. This shows that people believe that the Syrians are in danger and turning them away is inhumane. We need to let these people receive assistance instead of locking them out.
But that’s not all. The US is embarrassing itself in the process. We should be allowing more Syrian refugees because Europe is accepting over one million this year. It is shameful to accept a measly 10,000. In addition, it takes two years for a family to be admitted to the US. Many people have spoken out about this. Steve Chapman, a strongly opinionated political writer, notes in his Reason.com article “This Is Why America Should Take More Syrian Refugees,” “Some European countries have decided they have no choice but to open their doors. Turkey is now host to 1.9 million Syrians. Germany is planning to take 800,000 by the end of this year. Sweden has admitted nearly 65,000. And the United States? About 1,500”(Chapman, 2). This fact is quite incriminating. The US promises to help out these war refugees only to make it very difficult for them to be admitted. It is unfair that most of Europe must be hosts for this oncoming wave of new residents while the US just sits back, sips its Coca Cola and watches others struggle to support new citizens and provide aid.
The US is also forcing a bit of a double standard on refugees. We are a nation of immigrants. Why should we be rejecting or limiting immigrants now? Steve Chapman, again, has mentioned many important things on this subject. In his first statement on this, he writes, “We don't have to agree on which president broke the region. But one or both of them had a hand in the destruction. So we can't very well pretend we have no obligation to the hordes driven from their homes. This is the biggest refugee crisis since World War II, a humanitarian emergency of the highest order, and the U.S. isn't doing enough to ameliorate it”(Chapman, 2). In short, he is saying that the US isn’t completely innocent. It needs to make up for the mistakes it made and the problems it helped cause and help out some of the people trying to immigrate from their war-stricken homeland. Later in his article, Chapman writes, “The U.S. has a lot of experience with refugees. In a normal year, we resettle more than any other country. With the help of churches and other charitable groups, the newcomers generally adapt and integrate into society. Their children grow up Americans”(Chapman, 2). Chapman helps us see that we help out so many other newcomers and reject Syrians solely on stereotypes and fears. This is important to know because there has been no evidence of a terrorist among any of the Syrians.
Too many allow the Paris terrorist attacks fool them into believing that the Syrians coming in are terrorists. This could not be further from the truth. These people are trying to run away from the danger, not cause it. Governor of Delaware Jack Markell addressed this belief in a statement. "It is unfortunate that anyone would use the tragic events in Paris to send a message that we do not understand the plight of these refugees, ignoring the fact that the people we are talking about are fleeing the perpetrators of terror"(Fantz). Markell believes that anyone who actually thought such an assumption was true was very ignorant. It's important for us to let in Syrians because, truth be told, Europe has bad people. The US has bad people. Syria has bad people. No country is filled with perfect people. Any country who lets bad people determine their policies is a failed country.
Some politicians, however, believe otherwise. They argue that we don’t have any way of doing a background check on these incoming people; they could be terrorists and bring dangerous people into the country. Donald Trump, one of the Republican presidential candidates, expressed his opinion openly when questioned about it, saying, "We have no idea who these people [Syrian refugees] are, we are the worst when it comes to paperwork... This could be one of the great Trojan horses... We cannot let them into this country, period. Our country has tremendous problems. We can't have another problem"(Trump). This statement is not only extremely derogatory and wrong, it is a faulty assumption and inaccurate. According to Matthew Soerens, a World Relief official, “Those who come to the United States have gone through a very thorough vetting process…with various departments of the government—the FBI, the National Counterterrorism Center”(Rosenthal). It is obvious that these people are put through an intense background check; we, in fact, know exactly who these people are.
There are also some who think that Syrians coming in will deplete resources, like housing, money, etc. Officials in Jordan were noticeably open about these beliefs. A recent report by them writes, “As massive population growth stresses host-community capacities, Syrian refugees have cast a light on some of Jordan’s greatest contemporary challenges. A plethora of reports point to the Syrian refugee impact on Jordan’s depleted resources, increased job competition, overburdened infrastructure, and strained social services, like healthcare and education. Notably, the challenges highlighted by the refugees all have deep roots in Jordan’s social, economic, and political fabrics. Indeed, the Syrian refugee population has merely exacerbated preexisting endemic challenges that could be harbingers of future instability”(Francis, 1). Essentially, Jordan thinks that by accepting refugees resource supplies are threatened. However, many say that although there is a small cost to admitting Syrians (like any refugee) these people will be very beneficial to the economy in later years one they are able to get settled. In addition, John Oliver addressed the fact on his show that the population will be decreasing by double digit percentages in the next decade. We can afford to accept these people. There is no reason for these people who have made such a long and dangerous journey to be rejected just like that. The Syrians need our help, and there is no valid reason for us not to.
Again, it is extremely vital the US allow more refugees from Syria because they are unsafe in their own country and because the US is a nation of immigrants. We should follow in the footsteps of Europe and quit using policies that are only backed up by fear. This crisis is very real and is happening right now. It is important that we provide help to immigrants who worked so hard to reach our borders. Politicians against admitting refugees argue that letting Syrian refugees into the US is just "too complicated". This is ridiculous and a very feeble argument. Imagine if everyone looked at world policies like this; we would get absolutely nothing done. In reality, one should just look at this as simply as possible; all we have to do it let in the refugees instead of putting up a big fuss over nothing. Clay Young, a political science major, told interviewers when asked about his proposed solution, “...It is a combo of immigration and foreign policy. Immigration policy needs to be adjusted so that the neediest people get assistance in getting the immigration process resolved quickly. [As for] foreign policy, we need to help improve the conditions in their own country so they don’t feel the need to immigrate”(Young). Mr. Young made it as clear as it could get. All we would have to do is adjust policies. Young also mentioned when questioned how he felt about the US' plan of allowing only 10,000 refugees, answering, “Europe is letting in close to a million refugees from Syria and others this year. It is un-American to restrict people coming in who need to escape horrible circumstances like war and famine”(Young). Mr. Young answered passionately when asked about the refugee limit. I personally believe that it is very important for us to change these policies and help the people trying to escape death and destruction.
There are countless reasons for admitting Syrians. It really isn’t complicated.
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