Pelosi Statement on World Refugee Day

San Francisco – Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued this statement in recognition of World Refugee Day:

"On World Refugee Day, Americans join the international community in recognizing the plight of all who have been forced to flee from war, persecution, natural disasters and other horrors. We pray for and stand with the nearly 90 million people who have been subjected to such painful tragedies, including the millions displaced this year by Putin's brutal war against Ukraine.

"America must continue to be a beacon of hope for refugees around the world, including refugees in our own hemisphere, LGBTQ refugees and all those driven from their homes by hateful oppression. Under President Biden's leadership, the United States is honoring that responsibility, expanding Temporary Protected Status for immigrants facing danger in their home countries and raising the cap on refugee admissions. By reversing the previous administration's inhumane efforts to close the door on those seeking refuge, President Biden has made clear that the United States will live up to our international, moral obligations. Faced with Europe's worst refugee crisis since World War II, the Congress and the Biden Administration have taken quick, unified action to support Ukrainians amid the horrors of Russia's invasion, including through urgently needed humanitarian assistance and by welcoming up to 100,000 refugees fleeing from the war.

"As the National Association of Evangelicals has noted, ‘The U.S. refugee resettlement program is the crown jewel of American humanitarianism.' In the face of this suffering, let us reiterate our commitment to continue fulfilling America's responsibility to our neighbors around the world and renew our resolve to uphold the rights, safety and dignity of every person, everywhere."