Body
WHEREAS, there are more refugees in the world today than at any time since World War II, and more than half of the world's refugees are children; and
WHEREAS, refugees are fleeing armed conflict and human rights abuses in Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Central America, and other regions; and
WHEREAS, more than half of the world's refugees are hosted by only ten countries, and many of these countries do not have adequate resources to keep refugees fed, housed, or safe, leaving some refugees to survive on less than fifty cents a day; and
WHEREAS, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has determined that 1.2 million refugees are in need of immediate resettlement, but less than 150,000 resettlement places are available worldwide; and
WHEREAS, even if a refugee is a candidate for resettlement in the United States, they must undergo a very detailed security vetting process, taking 18 to 24 months and involving multiple law enforcement and intelligence agencies; and
WHEREAS, the United States has an abundance of available infrastructure, more than the current population can support, and it has a need and desire for industrious people to make productive use of its infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, the United States has historically resettled more refugees than any other country, the current president has reduced the refugee admission cap to 45,000 in 2018 with the intention of further lowering the cap to 30,000 in 2019; and
WHEREAS, the City of Pittsburgh is committed to building a welcoming and safe communities, where all immigrants and refugees are welcomed, accepted, and integrated; and
Title
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh declares its support for the resettlement of refugees no matter their religion, race, nationality, or country of origin, in the United State and calls on other communities to join them in supporting a stronger national effort to resettle the most vulnerable refugees; and
BE IT FU...
Click here for full text