Issued November 18, 2015
WASHINGTON--SEIU International President Mary Kay Henry today issued the following statement rebuking the shortsighted calls to close our nation’s safe and orderly refugee program to families fleeing terrorists in Syria and Iraq:
“From its earliest days, the United States has been a nation of immigrants, many of whom came to this country to escape violence as well as religious and ethnic persecution. Now is not the time to end that tradition by turning our backs on those who are fleeing terrorism in Syria and Iraq. We should be demonstrating the values that give America its strength: tolerance, freedom and opportunity for all.
“The political posturing over the refugee crisis does nothing to make us safer. In fact, the process for accepting Syrian refugees, which is conducted by the Homeland Security and State departments, is quite extensive. This is simply another example of extremist Republicans across the country trying to use the lives of real people for their own political advantage. What they should be doing is showing compassion to people fleeing their homeland in search of a better life.”