Transcript
Juana Summers (0:00)
Moses M. Was just a kid when he escaped a civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo and then survived a massacre at a refugee camp in neighboring Burundi.
Moses M. (0:10)
My tribe of Bunyamolinge tribe was being persecuted at the time.
Juana Summers (0:16)
Moses M. Spoke to NPR on the condition that we do not use his last name to protect his relatives who are trying to seek protection in the US as refugees. In 2007, when Moses was 13, he and his family moved to Boise, Idaho.
Moses M. (0:31)
We were one of the lucky ones that were also selected to be able to resettle in the United States.
Juana Summers (0:36)
He had to learn a new language and adapt to colder weather.
Moses M. (0:40)
Trying to navigate a new life here was really hard at first, but it was better than being in a refugee camp somewhere in Africa.
Juana Summers (0:50)
Fast forward to present day, ten years after resettling. Moses is now in real estate. He's married and a father to a three year old boy and a six year old girl.
Moses M. (0:59)
I am an American citizen and a father of two and I like to think that I do contribute to the community that I'm a part of here.
Juana Summers (1:07)
That is exactly what President Jimmy Carter envisioned when he signed the Refugee act into law in 1980. It was a pivotal moment that shaped US refugee policy and granted pathways for resettlement. Here's Carter that same year.
Moses M. (1:21)
We are the most generous nation on earth in receiving refugees, and I feel very deeply that this commitment should be maintained. Ours is a country of refugees.
Juana Summers (1:34)
According to the Migration Policy institute, more than 3 million refugees have been admitted since 1980. And the number of refugees admitted to the United States has never dipped below 10,000 admissions a year, even after the 911 attacks or during the pandemic. Until now. On President Trump's first day in office, he halted the arrival of refugees coming into the United States, except for Africaners, South Africa's white minority. Trump said the country, quote, lacks the ability to absorb a large number of refugees in a manner that does not, quote, compromise the availability of resources for Americans, that protects their safety and security and that ensures the appropriate assimilation of refugees. Here is Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau on why white South Africans were were the exception to the pause.