Refugee

Each and every day large numbers of refugees leave strenuous situations in their home nations to attempt to gain legal status in another nation. Often they make that journey with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Some bribe human smugglers with large sums, others do it fully on their own legs. Surviving through the arrival at their intended destination is not a guarantee; And for those who do make it - their arrival in numbers often creates humanitarian and economic challenges for the country they arrive in. This is something that many across the spectrum agree on. From there, however, there’s a lot of disagreement. To wit:

Those who are more receptive to accepting refugees en masse often believe the United States and other Western nations should lead the world in providing support to refugees. Many with this viewpoint ask: shouldn’t people who are living amid crises do whatever they can to keep themselves and their family members alive? Supporting this viewpoint, the often cite America's founding as a nation of immigrants, and point to American foreign interventions that have destabilized other countries.

On the other side are people who are skeptical of admitting large numbers of refugees. Those who are critical may argue that many refugees have crossed borders illegally and are criminals, could end up being terrorists, will take jobs from American citizens, or strain the social system, directing resources away from Americans and to foreign nationals who have just arrived without a permanent legal status.

QUESTIONS TO PLAY WITH:  

-Would you welcome refugees into your community? Into your home? What sorts of people? How would you know what sorts of people they were?

-If you were a refugee, how would you convince people that you were no danger to them?

-How should the U.S. deal with refugees fleeing conflict? Mind our own business? Donate funds but keep them away from our shores? Welcome them in?

-If a national catastrophe happened in the U.S., creating waves of outgoing refugees, how would you want other countries to behave towards us? How would you convince them that we were not a danger to them?