Assistant Secretary Schwartz Marks the 30th Anniversary of the 1980 Refugee Act

 
State Department Assistant Secretary Eric P. Schwartz spoke today at a one-day conference convened by Human Rights First, which marked the 30th anniversary of the 1980 Refugee Act.  The Act enshrined the United States Refugee Admissions Program that since its formal inception has resettled more than 2.5 million refugees in this country.  Below are some of the Assistant Secretary's selected remarks, pertaining directly to the resettlement program.  You can read a full transcript of his address here.
 
With that element in mind, and early in my tenure, I visited Chicago, Fort Wayne, Indiana and Minneapolis/St. Paul, to learn more about our efforts to meet the resettlement needs of newly arriving refugees – Bhutanese, Burmese, Burundians, Hmong, Iraqis and so many others. What I saw was both heartening and dismaying. It was so gratifying to witness the deep and abiding commitment to refugees among overworked and underpaid agency personnel in the field, the determination of new arrivals, and the welcoming spirit of local school, healthcare and government officials. On the other hand, it was very sad to meet with refugees who had severe problems that go well beyond the challenges that any new arrival should have to confront. I heard from refugees threatened with eviction after only months in the United States. I learned that refugees often had to choose between buying food or diapers for their children. And I spoke with agency field staff overburdened by the number of refugee families they serve and the complexity of the resettlement service needs of recent arrivals.
 
...We well understand that more must be done. And we will be working closely with the White House and the Department of Health and Human Services to secure additional job training, education and cash and medical assistance in the months that follow initial reception and placement.