Sadly. the United States turned them away and they had to return to Europe. They were afraid for their lives. The Nazis had engaged in Kristallnacht and violence against Jewish people. and these refugees were coming to our shores seeking refugee status. In May of 1939 we turned them away. They returned to Europe and over 200 of them died in the Holocaust. Since that time the United States has taken a different approach to refugees. We have been a country sensitive to the reality that in many parts of the world people are living in fear of death every day and can only find safety on our shores. Over the years we have accepted 750.000 refugees from Vietnam. we have accepted over 500.000 Cuban refugees. including the fathers of two U.S. Senators. one who is running for President. we accepted over 200.000 Soviet Jews who were escaping persecution in the former Soviet Union. we have accepted refugees from around the worldfrom Somalia. from Bosnia. The list is long. That is an indication of who we are and our values. Now. we need to be careful when any refugee comes to the United States. We should give them a thorough investigation. but for us to step back and say we are going to stop being a refuge for refugees from around the world is a retreat from Americas values. Let us make sure the process for refugees. immigrants. and visitors is the very best. Let us carefully follow through on each one of them. but let us not turn our backs on many around the world who fear for their lives and are looking for the safety of the United States. That has been part of our heritage for over 60 years and it should continue.
Keywords matched
refugees immigrants refugee