RUNNING HEAD: America and the Global Refugee Crisis

The Global Refugee Crisis

Adrienne Dunn
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America is the glorified leader of the free world, with an abundance of promises of

opportunity and freedom to all who live there. As an icon of new beginnings, Americas stance

on aiding refugees is extremely hypocritical, and shameful. Hundreds of thousands of innocent

people are being forced to leave their homes in order to stay alive. In a world overrun by

conflicts in the Middle East and throughout Europe, America needs to live up to its reputation,

and help the people who so desperately need it. With no help from their own governments, these

people are begging the United States for refuge, and guidance. The government of the United

States must stop perpetuating fear, and start welcoming the people who need help.

The refugee crisis isnt isolated in one corner of the globe. Millions of people across the

world desperately need help. In an article published by the New York Times, the author wrote,

Masses of migrants and refugees, many from Syria, Afghanistan and Kosovo, have been

overwhelming border authorities in several Balkan countries as they try to reach Western

Europe. These smaller countries arent prepared to receive such large masses of people, which

results in chaos for the government, the refugees, and the citizens. The refugees are desperate,

which is why Hungarian officials recorded 13 times as many illegal crossings from Serbia from

January to July as the same time last year. The increase in illegal and undocumented immigrants

is harmful to the countries that they are seeking refuge in, In Jordan, unemployment has almost

doubled since 2011 in areas with high concentration of refugees, according to a recent

International Labor Organization study. If the refugees are welcomed by these countries, they

will come legally, which will benefit economies instead of harming them.

Some people believe that the refugee crisis isnt Americas issue, they believe that other

countries will step up and solve the problem. According to a chart from BBC, there have been

1,321,560 asylum claims from refugees in Europe. The countries in the European Union are
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much smaller than the United States, but they have stepped up to a level that the U.S. hasnt even

come close to. Ignoring whats happening has achieved nothing. If anything, the denial has made

things worse. According to a timeline published by syrianrefugees.org, the Syrian refugee crisis

began in 2011. Six years have passed since the crisis began, and little to no progress has been

made. The unnecessary loss of life through this ordeal is sickening. Refugees are making

perilous journeys day in and day out, because they feel like they have no other choice. They

would rather risk dying during their travels, than stay in their home countries.

Refugees dont have much of a choice when it comes to their transportation. A lot of the

journey is on foot, and through the sea. These travels are incredibly dangerous, especially for the

women and children that are trying to escape. In an article published by the Independent, the

UNHCR said, The number of migrants drowning and suffocating on sea crossings so far this

year has almost surpassed the death toll for the whole of 2015. It has recorded 3,740 deaths in the

Mediterranean and fears the figure will continue to rise as conditions worsen at sea. This makes

2016 the deadliest year for refugees thus far. This loss of life is tragic, and completely

preventable. If the United States provides adequate assistance, lives will be saved worldwide.

The refugees need more aid than they are receiving. Not enough countries are helping,

not enough people are aware of whats going on. According to the timeline mentioned

previously, Half of the worlds refugee population lives in ten countries. The author of the

article also mentioned that, Wealthier nations are leaving poorer ones to bear the worst part of

the current migration crisis, and that this unequal share is actually worsening it. A small

percentage of the world shouldnt have to deal with this burden alone. We are all human, we

should all be supporting each other, especially when the crisis is as extensive as this one. The

countries that have been left to deal with this burden alone are no longer able to do so. On
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October 3rd, 2016, The EU signs a deal with the Afghan government which states that member

states have the right to deport an unlimited number of Afghan citizens with a denied asylum

application in Europe and refusing to return to their country voluntarily. These people who are

terrified of their own countries are now being forced back into them, because the EU cant

support the amount of people that need help. This is especially worrying because according to

the timeline, The number of first time asylum seekers in EU-28 kept rising in the second quarter

of 2016. With respect to the first quarter, there has been a 6% increase in the number of

applications, which is also higher than that for the same quarter of 2015.

Children are the most fragile population in the refugee crisis. According to an article

published by UNICEF, 50 million children have been uprooted, with 28 million fleeing brutal

conflict and millions more escaping extreme poverty. The same article states that, The child

refugee crisis is the worst since World War II. These children are missing out on their

childhoods. According to the UNHCR, Only 50 percent of refugee children have access to

primary education, compared to the global average of over 90 percent. This lack of education

will lead to serious problems in the future, such as the inability to be employed. These children

are innocent, victims of circumstance, and they dont deserve to go through this ordeal.

The politics of the whole situation is overwhelming and clouding the most important part

of the crisis the people. America is not offering aid because a large portion of the government

typically conservatives are spewing rhetoric about terrorism and national security. Those who

want to help the refugees are unable to pass any kind of legislation to do so, especially because

President Trump is very openly against the cause. In September of 2016, More than 70 aid

groups decided to suspend their cooperation with the UN in Syria by withdrawing from the UNs

information-sharing program. Aid groups claim that the Syrian president Bashar al-Assads holds
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too much influence over the relief plan. The withdrawal of the 73 aid groups will have

significant consequences for the UN, as these mostly operate in the North of the country and in

opposition-held areas. Relief groups are halting their help for the refugees because of politics.

In an article published by The Washington Post, Donald Trump described the situation as a

European matter or one that Europe can handle. During the 2016 U.S. presidential race, the

common responses from the conservative candidates were either unclear or noncommittal. The

United States needs to take a step back from the political aspect, and address this situation as a

humanitarian crisis. The loss of life is far more important than political debates or leverage.

In the spirit of making this crisis about the people, Time magazine published an article

about one refugee family and the immense struggles that they faced. Families who are seeking

asylum typically await a phone call that lets them know if their request has been accepted or

denied. The Abazli family missed that phone call, because their 4-month-old daughter had just

been diagnosed with an infection, and during the rush to the hospital, the phone was forgotten at

a hotel. According to the article, the mothers that Time have been following have, spent the last

12 months in a constant state of uncertainty. They dont know where their families will go or

what their futures hold. These are real people, real families, that have no idea where they are

going to end up. Their lives are entirely in the hands of the countries who are generous enough to

accept them. The United States should be a leader during this time, but according to the Time

article, U.S. President Donald Trumps recent refusal to accept Syrian refugees for resettlement

in the U.S. may further embolden Europes anti-migrant sentiment, prolonging the pain for

families who want nothing more than to get started on their new lives. These refugees are

desperate for help. They are not here to cause terror, they are not a threat to the national security

of the U.S.
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As an immigrant myself, I know how difficult the citizenship process can be. I came here

legally 12 years ago from Scotland. My family and I have just recently received our green cards,

and in order to apply for citizenship, you must have your green card for at least 10 years. There

is a reason that so many people come to America looking for a new beginning for themselves

and their families. I dont think that people who are born here are aware of how many

opportunities they have that other countries do not provide. The United States genuinely is the

land of opportunity, there is so much that can be dreamt of, and achieved. I think that if

Americans understood just how lucky they are, they would be more welcoming towards the

refugees. I also think that citizens of the U.S. dont understand the extent of the terror that

refugees face in the countries that they are fleeing. These people have no other choice, they

simply want a new, safe life.

The refugee crisis is a global problem, and will not get better on its own. America must

live up to its title of being the leader of the free world. Until America steps in and provides the

help that it easily can, more countries will be overwhelmed, and more lives will be lost. America

has the ability to greatly improve the lives of many, without causing any harm to the citizens that

already live here. I know how lucky I am to have been given the opportunity to live in a country

that I know I am safe in, where I can follow any dream that I might have. Thousands of innocent

people are begging for that same blessing, and its time that they receive it.
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References

Peanha, P. B. (2015, June 08). The Global Refugee Crisis, Region by Region. Retrieved
November 17, 2017, from
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/06/09/world/migrants-global-refugee-crisis-
mediterranean-ukraine-syria-rohingya-malaysia-iraq.html

Ross, J. (2015, September 11). The politics of the Syrian refugee crisis, explained. Retrieved
November 17, 2017, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-
fix/wp/2015/09/11/the-politics-of-the-syrian-refugee-crisis-
explained/?utm_term=.bfac38d7739d

A Syrian Family Waits to Learn Their Fate. (n.d.). Retrieved November 17, 2017, from
http://time.com/4665014/finding-home-syrian-families-greece/

Timeline. (n.d.). Retrieved November 17, 2017, from http://syrianrefugees.eu/timeline/

Migrant crisis: Migration to Europe explained in seven charts. (2016, March 04). Retrieved
November 17, 2017, from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34131911

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. (n.d.). Education. Retrieved November 17,
2017, from http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/education.html