TAKE ACTION: This World Refugee Day, Urge Congress to Defend Refuge

World Refugee Day—held annually on June 20th—is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the resilience and courage of those fleeing violence and persecution globally. It serves as a call to action for governments and communities to strengthen their efforts in providing safe haven, resources, and opportunities for refugees and other displaced people to rebuild their lives.

Despite multiple court orders, the Trump administration’s indefinite refugee ban and funding freeze remain in place. Tens of thousands of approved refugees have been stranded overseas in increasingly dangerous conditions, and thousands more in communities across the country have been cut of from protection.

As World Refugee Day approaches, join us in solidarity with forcibly displaced populations by taking action. Below, find four ways to engage your elected leaders and call on them to defend our nation’s welcoming infrastructure, support refugees, and safeguard pathways to protection and resettlement.

1. EMAIL YOUR TWO SENATORS AND ONE REPRESENTATIVE
On the right-hand side, you can send an email to your Member of Congress

My name is [insert name], and as your constituent from [city/town], I urge you to make plans to commemorate World Refugee Day on June 20th by voicing support for refugees in our community and advocating to defend our resettlement infrastructure and preserve humanitarian protection pathways through oversight, legislation, and funding. Specifically, I ask you to:

Co-sponsor the 2025 World Refugee Day resolution. I urge you to honor refugees this World Refugee Day and join the 2025 World Refugee Day Resolution as an original cosponsor. To join the resolution, please contact Senator Shaheen’s office or Rep. Ted Lieu’s office by COB Wednesday, June 18.
Stand up for refugees and newcomers in upcoming congressional funding and legislative deliberations. Reject the budget reconciliation package that diverts massive funds to ICE detention and deportation and prevents refugees and others from accessing food assistance and medical support they would otherwise be eligible for. Instead support funding for key spending accounts (such as the Migration and Refugee Assistance account and Refugee and Entrant Assistance accounts) and include clear authorizing and appropriations language dictating how that funding should be used for processing and welcome services that best serve refugees, newcomers, and the communities that welcome them.
Urge the Trump to restore the refugee resettlement program – including by rebooking travel for thousands of refugees who have had their flights canceled. Refugee resettlement brings huge social and economic benefits to our communities and makes our country stronger, safer, and more prosperous.
Publicly express your support for refugees and the bipartisan U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) and the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE). Recognize and speak to the impact of the stop work orders and reimbursement freeze on refugee resettlement services and programs in your community. Listen to and collect stories of your constituents who have been impacted.

Defending policies that welcome refugees and asylum seekers is crucial to building more inclusive communities. This World Refugee Day, I encourage you to support efforts that preserve our nation’s legacy of welcome. Thank you.

2. CALL YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
Use the phone tool on the right-hand side to call your members of Congress

Sample Phone Script: “My name is [insert name], and as a person from [City, State] and a [person of faith/refugee/member of my community], I’m calling to ask you to make plans to commemorate World Refugee Day on June 20th and to voice my support for refugees and other newcomers in our country and community. I urge you to join the 2025 World Refugee Day resolution led this year by Senator Shaheen and Representative Ted Lieu.

I’m also calling on you to urge the Trump administration to abide by court orders to resume refugee processing and resettlement for approved refugees left stranded in the backlog – and to support funding for the Office of Refugee Resettlement and the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.

[City/Town] benefits from a robust refugee resettlement program. We are a stronger country when we help people in need of safe harbor rebuild their lives. Thank you.”

3. REACH OUT TO YOUR STATE AND LOCAL ELECTED LEADERS

State and local leaders play a critical role in building more welcoming and inclusive communities. Commemorating World Refugee Day can help raise awareness for people in your own community who need resettlement aid. Host an advocacy event or invite your local leaders to issue a resolution or proclamation commemorating World Refugee Day. Here are some ways to get involved:

Look up your local elected officials at usa.gov/elected-officials. Reach out to them and tell them that your community welcomes refugees.
Check out this sample 2025 State/Local World Refugee Day Resolution/Proclamation, adapt it for your state or local community, and ask your state and local elected officials to introduce or issue a resolution or proclamation. You can also ask them to share public statements or social media with their support for refugee community members.

4. AMPLIFY ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Share this message with your elected officials on social media. See below for sample posts:

[@TwitterHandle]: On #WorldRefugeeDay, we stand with refugees around the world. Every person deserves safety, dignity, and the chance to rebuild their lives. Today I call for more welcoming, more inclusive policies. We need Congress to do the same.

[@TwitterHandle]: This #WorldRefugeeDay, we can support our refugee neighbors by:

– Restoring pathways to permanent protection

– Rejecting anti-refugee, anti-asylum policies & legislation

– Investing in our capacity to welcome

[@TwitterHandle] We are stronger with refugees. The time to save refugee resettlement is now!

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