New York City— Today, Voice for Refuge Action Fund released its endorsements for candidates in Utah for the upcoming general elections. We are proud to endorse Fatima Dirie for Utah State House of Representatives District 30 and Angela Romero Utah State House of Representatives District 25.

“We need to elect leaders who will uphold America’s legacy of welcome and provide safety to those fleeing persecution, while also supporting newly-arrived refugees and new Americans as they become active members of our communities,” said Voice for Refuge Managing Director Mary Elizabeth Margolis.

“Utah’s state representatives have a long history of supporting refugee resettlement and immigrant rights. Year after year, we see bipartisan legislation at the state-level supporting refugees and immigrants across the State of Utah- from English language programs to workforce development opportunities. Our endorsements of Dirie and Romero reflect our commitment to support those in Utah who are bringing their personal experiences to the legislature and affecting positive change for their communities.”

This is Voice for Refuge’s second round of endorsements in the 2022 elections, and the third time the 501c(4) organization has endorsed candidates for election. Voice for Refuge Action Fund specifically aims to endorse candidates based upon their stance on refugee issues. See all of our endorsements at www.voiceforrefuge.org/endorsements 

Candidates were endorsed based on their answers to questions about their support for refugee resettlement, their work on welcoming refugees and immigrants in their community, and their understanding of policies specific to their potential role as a Federal, State, or Local representative. An individual’s public statements and any applicable past actions were also assessed. 

The election is November 8th this year. Early voting in Utah begins October 25th and all registered voters will have their ballot mailed to them by October 28th. 

Voice for Refuge is the first 501(c)4 organization created to advance pro-refugee policies at the national, state, and local level and to hold elected leaders accountable to upholding America’s legacy of welcome. Voice for Refuge is educating the public about the benefits of refugee resettlement, advocating for pro-refugee policies in the U.S. Congress and state legislatures, and increasing civic engagement among refugees through non-partisan voter education. Voice for Refuge will also promote the representation of refugees in government by supporting former refugees and pro-refugee candidates running for office.

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