Reflections on Refugees in America

Catherine Juliano is a math and political science major at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. She is assisting our communications coordinator this summer as an intern.

By Catherine Juliano

Since its inception, the United States has welcomed refugees fleeing persecution and war: it is what the Statue of Liberty symbolizes, with her torch lifted high above New York harbor to light the way for ships in the distance. When they arrive on our shores, refugees are emerging from rough waters and they need our help. However, despite their rocky entrance to our country, many often go on to make some of the most outstanding contributions to American society. Think about it: Albert Einstein was a refugee who fled the persecution of the Nazis and came to America in 1933; Sigmund Freud also fled from the Nazis in Austria; even Freddy Mercury was a refugee who fled Zanzibar in 1964 for England. What would the world be like without these innovators? Jesus Himself was forced to flee the Holy Land because of King Herod. Because He was able to live, he went on to teach us “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Mt 40:25). As a follower of Christ, St. Francis cared for the poor and the outcasts of his own society.

The anti-refugee and anti-immigration attitudes that pervade the political landscape today are anti-American, anti-Christian, and anti-Franciscan. Inspired by our call to social justice and mercy, FAN supports refugees and asylum seekers who are fleeing traumatic and often violent situations. We believe that refugees have a right to be welcomed into America as a home. We also feel that refugees should be supported in their efforts to find meaningful work because as history shows, refugees provide lasting contributions to our society as a whole.

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