65.6 million people around the world have been forced from their homes, 22.5 million of them are refugees, and over half of them are under 18 years old. Syria alone has 5.5 million refugees. According to the State Department, the U.S. is on pace to settle 21,000 refugees this year. That’s less than .0001% of the total refugee population.

“Refugee” is a legal term that refers to people who have been persecuted or fear they will be persecuted on account of race, religion, nationality, and/or membership in a particular social group or political opinion. According to the U.S. Department of State, “refugees are screened more carefully than any other type of traveler to the U.S.” They are screened by the National Counterterrorism Center, FBI, Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense,  the Department of State, as well as the intelligence community.

At Neighbor to Neighbor we are working on systemic barriers at the State level. But this work is linked to a bigger story. Let us learn to listen to the stories of our neighbors both here and around the world.