Refugees should be represented in government and have a voice in the policies that impact them
Elected officials must be expected to promote our nation’s long held values of welcome, generosity, and human rights for all
Those elected have a lasting impact on refugee communities and supporting new refugees welcomed into the United States.
Voice for Refuge encourages everyone eligible to vote to register and turn out to vote in their community! We are dedicated to educating voters, candidates, and elected leaders about the urgency and benefits of welcoming refugees in their communities. We endorse candidates in select local, state, and national electoral races who are former refugees themselves or who are champions for refugee protection.
Since the Refugee Act of 1980, the U.S. has welcomed about 3 million individuals seeking safety and has allowed them to call this country home. These individuals become eligible for citizenship after 5 years of living in the US on a green card and all US citizens are eligible to vote. Refugees who are now citizens are important voters in our communities. While no exact number of total former refugee voters exists, we know that these states are home to thousands of resettled individuals and communities that have been present in the US for many years and even decades.
