Refugee Myths (Something we shared before, but worth repeating) Myth #1: Refugees resettled into the United States are “unvetted.” Fact: Refugees...
Refugee Myths (Something we shared before, but worth repeating) Myth #1: Refugees resettled into the United States are “unvetted.” Fact: Refugees undergo a multi-layered screening and vetting process, which occurs entirely before the individual is allowed to enter the United States and which generally takes at least 18 months, that is more thorough than that to which any other category of immigrant or visitor to the United States is subjected. Myth #2: The recent terrorist attacks in Europe exposes that the U.S. is also vulnerable to terrorist attacks from refugees or those posing as refugees. Fact: The situation facing Europe—with nearly 1 million individuals arriving and seeking asylum just in the past year—is vastly different than that of the U.S. refugee resettlement program. Asylum seekers arriving at Europe’s borders or shores can only be vetted and processed after entry to the European continent, whereas the relatively few refugees admitted from Syria to the U.S. are allowed in only after a thorough, multi-layered vetting process that lasts at least 18 months. Myth #3: The terrorist attack in California indicates that the U.S. is vulnerable to terrorist attacks from those posing as refugees. Fact: Neither of the two alleged terrorists implicated in the tragic attacks in San Bernardino, California underwent the thorough, multi-layered vetting process of the U.S. Refugee Resettlement: one was a native-born U.S. citizen and the other entered on a fiancée visa, which involves a screening process that is significantly less rigorous than that required for refugees being considered for resettlement. Myth #4: All (or most) refugees are Muslims and are from the Middle East. Fact: Last year, more refugees admitted to the U.S. were Christians (about 45%) than of any other single religious tradition. The U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program presents a vital lifeline for persecuted Christians (as well as persecuted individuals of other faiths). About 25% of refugees admitted to the U.S. last year were fleeing situations in the Middle East, but most actually come from other regions of the world. More refugees came from Burma—where most admitted refugees are persecuted Christians—than from all of the Middle Eastern countries combined Myth #5: All (or most) Muslims are terrorists, or at least sympathetic to terrorism. Fact: While there certainly have been high-profile cases of terrorism committed by Muslims motivated by extremist ideologies, the vast majority of Muslims reject those views. For example, a recent Pew Research Center survey conducted in Muslim majority nations found, across the board, that the vast majority of Muslims with an opinion about ISIS had a negative view of the group. Myth #6: Refugees are responsible for most terrorist attacks in the United States Fact: Of more than 3 million refugees admitted to the U.S. since the late 1970s, none has ever perpetrated a terrorist attack within the United States. In fact, according to New America, the majority of jihadist terrorism cases in the United States since September 11, 2001 have involved U.S. citizens, most of them born in the U.S. Myth #7: Most Syrian refugees coming into the United States are young men. Fact: Of Syrian refugees admitted to the U.S, 70% have been women or children under the age of 14. The U.S. refugee resettlement program prioritizes those cases it deems to be the most vulnerable for resettlement. Myth #8: Refugees are a drain on our economy. Fact: Most economists believe that refugees, like other immigrants, have a net positive economic impact. A study of refugees in Cleveland, Ohio, found that, despite some initial costs related to refugee resettlement, in time those refugees accounted for more than ten times that amount in positive economic impact.
