2024 Endorsements
Voice for Refuge endorses candidates in select local, state, and national electoral races who are refugees themselves or who are champions for refugee protection.
Voice for Refuge endorses candidates in select local, state, and national electoral races who are refugees themselves or who are champions for refugee protection. We choose to engage in electoral races based on a variety of factors, including impact, viability, and if and how refugee and immigration issues are being discussed by candidates. We base our endorsement decisions on candidate survey responses, voting records, public statements, accessibility to refugee communities, and proven solidarity with refugees.
We can’t endorse every refugee or pro-refugee candidate, so a lack of endorsement is not an indication that someone isn’t a champion for refugees. We encourage refugees and community supporters of refugees to recommend additional candidates and electoral races that we should be aware of. To request that we look at a certain candidate or electoral race, please email info@voiceforrefuge.org
Quick Overview: Our 2024 Endorsements
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. For the 2024 General Election, priority attention has been given to candidates running for Federal or State office in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. While no exact number of total refugee, now citizen, voters exists, we know that Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Ohio are home to thousands of resettled individuals and communities that have been present in the US for many years and even decades. 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.
Former refugee voters in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Ohio have the potential to gain recognition as important voices for politicians to engage with, meet with, and represent once in office. Large refugee voter turnout could give community leaders the necessary leverage to advance positive legislative priorities in the next year. But more than that, refugees who become citizens are important voters in our communities and with some specific resources and attention dedicated to empowering their votes, they could change the course of the election.
See any of our candidates on your ballot? We’ve done in-depth research into their voting records, public statements, and positions on pro-refugee and immigrant policies. Scroll down and read through for more details and links to the sources we found during our research.
Our Endorsement for President
Voice for Refuge Action Fund endorses Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. We also stand against the lies, hate, and harm being caused by this top-of-the ballot ticket from the Republican party. The election offers voters a clear choice between a Trump/Vance administration that will revert to harmful threats against immigrants and anti-refugee extremism versus a Harris/Walz administration that will continue to respect our commitments to refugee resettlement and welcoming those seeking safety.
Current Vice President Kamala Harris has been a consistent champion for refugees from the beginning of her career. As Senator, she co-sponsored five pieces of pro-refugee legislation and signed multiple pro-refugee letters, including one that she wrote and encouraged other Senators to sign that opposed Trump’s reductions to refugee resettlement. As Vice President, Harris and President Biden have restored the refugee admission program (now on track to resettle the most refugees in 30 years), launched the groundbreaking new private sponsorship program Welcome Corps, extended humanitarian parole to keep families together, and demonstrated willingness to work with partners to continue to improve refugee resettlement.
Kamala Harris’ chosen running mate, Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota has also been a critical ally to refugee communities and elected leaders in his state. In the past 5 years as Governor, Walz has refuted Trump’s rhetoric, wrote to former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in defense of refugee communities integral to Minnesota, and supported legislation to improve access to driver’s licenses regardless of citizenship status. In a previous scorecard released by Voice for Refuge, Tim Walz scored a 12/15, ranking him a pro-refugee champion among governors.
On the other hand, during President Trump’s last term, Refugee admission goals were cut to record lows, a Muslim ban was instituted under executive order and Trump, and family separation at the border was official policy. As a candidate this election cycle, Donald Trump has promised to reinstate and expand “Muslim” bans to include “ideological screening”, begin “mass deportations”, and potentially dismantle resettlement as a part of Project 2025 plans to reorganize and reduce federal departments.
Senate Endorsements
Voice for Refuge is proud to endorse candidates for the U.S. Senate who we trust will be partners for pro-refugee policies for the years to come.
We endorse Elissa Slotkin to be Michigan next Senator. Slotkin was elected to the U.S. House in 2018 to represent Michigan’s 7th district. Previously she had worked for the CIA as an analyst. As a representative Slotkin has been a proactive supporter of pro-refugee legislation. In 2021, Slotkin co-sponsored the Afghan Adjustment Act which would establish a clear and streamlined path for displaced Afghans to apply for permanent status in the U.S. and expand pathways to protection for Afghans who remain left behind and at risk. She also led on the Support Our Afghan Partners Act, designed to improve and increase the ongoing evacuation of at-risk Afghans. Voice for Refuge ranked her a Supporter of Relocation & Resettlement of Afghans in our scorecards of the 117th Congress. In 2023, Slotkin joined a dear colleague letter supporting robust funding for resettlement and authorizing new visa slots for Special Immigrant Visas. That same year she also co-sponsored the American Dream and Promise Act to allow a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and TPS recipients. And in 2024 she reintroduced the Short-Term Detention Standards Act, a bipartisan measure to ensure that immigrants being detained at the southern border have access to basic necessities.
We endorse Senator Sherrod Brown to continue serving as Ohio’s Senator. Brown has been serving as Ohio’s Senator since 2007 and is seeking re-election. As a Senator, Brown has been a proactive supporter of pro-refugee legislation. In 2019, he co-sponsored the Refugee Protection Act, a landmark bill championing rights for refugees and asylum seekers. He has been outspoken in support of Dreamers and opposed Trump’s orders blocking refugees and reducing resettlement goals. In 2022, following the withdrawal from Afghanistan, Senator Brown signed a resolution to support Afghan resettlement and thank those on the ground leading the evacuation. Voice for Refuge ranked him a Supporter of Relocation & Resettlement of Afghans in our scorecards of the 117th Congress.
We endorse Senator Bob Casey to continue serving as Pennsylvania’s Senator. Casey has been serving as Pennsylvania’s Senator since 2007 and is seeking re-election. As a Senator, Casey has been a proactive champion of pro-refugee legislation. In 2015, amid calls to pause resettlement, Casey called for ongoing support for Syrian refugees. During Trump’s first term, he rejected Trump’s executive order to restrict resettlement. Casey co-sponsored the Refugee Protection Act of 2019 and he joined Dear Colleagues letters in both 2023 and 2024 in support of robust funding for refugee protection and resettlement. In 2020, Senator Casey scored a 10/20 on Voice for Refuge Action Fund’s scorecards of the 116th Congress. In 2022, following the withdrawal from Afghanistan, Senator Casey led and joined resolutions and oversight letters to expedite Afghan resettlement and humanitarian parole. Voice for Refuge ranked him a Champion of Relocation & Resettlement of Afghans, he earned a score of 11.73/20 in our scorecards of the 117th Congress.
Unless stated below: this is an independent expenditure prepared and paid for by Voice for Refuge Action Fund, P.O. Box 1933, 28606 Phillips Street, Elkhart, IN 46515, Erol Kekic, Executive Director, and no candidate authorized this ad – it is not coordinated with, authorized by, or approved by any candidate or candidate’s committee, nor is any candidate responsible for it.
