Every day, families around the world are forced to leave their homes – some become refugees, while others migrate for safety and opportunity in a new country. But even those who flee from conflict or poverty face insurmountable challenges that don’t end once they cross a border.
The underlying problem is that refugee crisis is too often treated as a humanitarian concern, rather than as a threat to global security and stability. In the past, refugees could be expected to return home when their situation improved, but that is less and less likely today. Protracted conflicts are creating displacement that is far outrunning the capacities of host countries.
It’s also difficult for governments to prioritize refugee crises when they have competing political, economic, and security interests in the region. The same is true of international donors, which may have limited capacity to support displaced people and may be able to help only with the bare minimum.
This is why a global solution is necessary to address the growing challenges of displaced people and their communities. A key priority must be to put saving lives first, which means ensuring that the world’s refugee protection regimes are robust and accessible. It must also be based on the principle that no one should have to risk their lives crossing a border when they could qualify for refugee status closer to home. That’s why the United States has taken steps to enable refugees in the Western Hemisphere to access asylum in the country that’s most welcoming to them.
