Washington, DC – “My dream is to bring my family here. I’m afraid my mom and dad will die before I can touch them again.”
These are the words of Hefzur Rahman, a young man born in Myanmar, now living in a foster home in Elk Rapids, MI. Ethnic cleansing targeting the Muslim minority forced his family to flee, and Hefzur was one of the few who made it to the United States under the Unaccompanied Refugee Minors program. His family had to remain behind in a refugee camp, but were hopeful they would one day be together again in a safe country.
Now, as The New York Times reports, Hefzur’s dreams of reuniting with his family are becoming all the more distant, as the Trump administration once again considers cuts to the number of refugees resettled in the United States. Reporter Mirian Jordan delves deep into two young men’s stories with the assistance of Bethany Christian Services (a member organization of the Interfaith Immigration Coalition), the non-profit that helped them start over in the U.S.
Bruce Mossburg, the group’s program director for refugee foster care, explains that many of the children who were separated from their families due to violence persecution, and ultimately resettled in the United States, are struggling with “survivor’s guilt.” “It’s hard for them to heal and move forward if their families are in crisis and they do not know if they will ever see them again. Cutting the numbers is devastating for them,” he said.
Read more about the real, human toll of cutting refugee admissions here.
The Interfaith Immigration Coalition is made up of 53 national, faith-based organizations brought together across many theological traditions with a common call to seek just policies that lift up the God-given dignity of every individual. In partnership, we work to protect the rights, dignity, and safety of all refugees and migrants.
Follow us on Twitter @interfaithimm
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