CEO Paul Mero recently wrote an op-ed for the Salt Lake Tribune arguing that Pres. Trump’s nomination to head the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) should not be affirmed by Congress.
Here is an excerpt:
Mortensen would be in a position to wield enormous influence over U.S. refugee policy, overseeing our country’s treatment of some of the most vulnerable children and families on earth. Both conservative lawmakers and individuals of faith should be particularly alarmed by this possibility. . . .
Rescuing and resettling refugees — without regard to their origin — is a defining feature of our American creed. Throughout our history, welcoming those fleeing persecution and violence has strengthened our communities and advanced our deeply-held commitment to freedom. . . .
Conservatives who revere the divinely-endowed unalienable rights singled out in the Declaration of Independence recognize the dignity of every human life and the worth of the individual. In Utah and across our great nation, we see every day the intrinsic value that immigrants and refugees bring to our neighborhoods and workplaces. We see, too, how these individuals and families, who have frequently risked everything to escape desperate poverty and violence, or a bleak future in their home countries, work tirelessly to create a better life for themselves and their families. These are the highest American ideals, and it is a great privilege to welcome the stranger to our shores.
You can read the full op-ed here.
