Speech #CREC-2017-03-13-pt1-PgS1774-2_t0

President, Vermont is known far and wide as a tourist destination for all seasons. From our celebrated ski slopes to our stunning and world-renowned fall foliage, Vermont draws travelers from near and far, from nearby States and from Canada, our neighbor to the north. What many don't realize is that Vermont has also become home to refugees and asylum seekers from Iraq, Syria, Bosnia, Sudan, and elsewhere. These men, women and children enrich our communities and inspire us all. One Vermont community, Rutland, last year announced that it would welcome refugees fleeing the catastrophic civil war in Syria. The town was preparing to welcome 100 refugees. Nine arrived. When President Trump issued his appalling and disastrous executive order banning admission to refugees from Syria and six other nations, the remaining 91 individuals were prevented from coming to Vermont. I have heard from hundreds of Vermonters outraged by President Trump's Executive actions to close our borders to those seeking refuge. Also deeply concerning is the President's clear intent on targeting Muslim refugees. The freedom of religion, enshrined in the First Amendment of our Constitution and defended through the ages by generations of Americans, should not be squandered to promote an unfounded fear. The voices raised in opposition to these executive orders cross the spectrum. I want to include in the Record some of those voices: students at Rutland High School, some of whom have formed the New Neighbors Club, to help welcome refugee students who will attend Rutland City Public Schools. Emma writes: ``I am a 9th grader from Rutland High School. We should continue to support immigration in Vermont and the United States. These people deserve a good life and don't deserve what they have to go through.'' Carolyn writes: ``I'm from Rutland, Vermont, and I believe that refugee resettlement is an important issue. We have the opportunity to make a change in these people's lives and make new relationships and bonds in our lives. They need a support system so why can't that be us?'' Lea writes: ``This immigration ban is a big problem to me. I don't like that our country is stopping people from coming to our country. I know many people are afraid of what could happen to us. But we are all human and they are humans looking for safety.'' Lily writes, ``Everyone deserves the same amount of respect and understanding that we afford to anyone. The refugees obviously need our help and we are completely capable of building a community that is ready and willing to accept the refugees.'' Jessica writes: ``I can understand these fears, but they also clearly come from an inhumane and misinformed point of view. Without immigration in the past, no one would be here, and it is simply un- American to deny freedom from persecution to refugees and other immigrants.'' Emma writes: ``With all of the recent stigma regarding the Refugee Resettlement Plan, Rutland's program has recently gone static. At Rutland High School, we have a club that helps raise money and eventually welcome the refugees. Please make all the movement possible to make these people feel welcome in our state. We don't want to be stuck on the wrong side of history.'' Victoria writes: ``I feel that it is incredibly important for us to help refugees who are in desperate need of a second chance at life. As a global superpower of a country, it seems absurd to me that we are accepting so few refugees to our communities, as we could be helping with the global refugee crisis a whole lot more by actually trying to mitigate it.'' Ian writes: ``The refugees should come to Rutland because we are devoted to helping integrate them into our community. Several of the students here are devoting every Friday to getting together and coming up with great ideas on how we can incorporate them.'' Kjersti writes: ``As a citizen in the United States, I believe the diversity is what makes this country beautiful, and the fact that someone is exempt from the freedom and is turned away because of their diversity is not what this country stands for.'' Noah writes: ``I believe we should let people immigrate to Vermont because the people in these countries are living in terrible living conditions. Everyone in this world is equal so there's no reason not to let them in. They just want a chance at a safe life.'' Ashleah writes: ``We should continue to support immigration for the Syrian refugees into our community. This is such a great opportunity for Rutland to experience more diversity and more culture. Our small city would benefit greatly from allowing refugees to come and live with us.'' Kelsey writes: ``People who are safe and living comfortably should do their best to help those that need it. I feel by turning them away and denying them help we are being inhuman and cruel.'' Caitlin writes: ``I believe immigration should be accepted in all areas of this country. I strongly support the idea of people wanting to make a better life for themselves. I choose to take a stand against anti-immigration for I believe it is essential to make America better.'' Greta writes: ``These Syrians are people who have gone through atrocities and deserve our help. They will also promote understanding and diversity in our community amidst this political climate of fear mongering. Welcoming Syrian refugees will only be beneficial for Rutland and United States, and is upholding the value of America and human rights.'' And Elizabeth writes: ``I am disappointed with how our current administration is portraying our nation to the rest of the world. I think the people of the United States are stronger, more loving, and kinder people than what is being shown, and I think we need to take individual action in order to show this.'' The voices of these young Vermonters are emblematic of what I hear from Vermonters across our State. We all want to keep our country safe; of that, there is no question. But President Trump's travel ban ignores the clear fact that refugees are the most stringently vetted travelers to the United States. His Executive order provokes and plays on fear. It does not make us safer.