“You’ve sworn a solemn oath, you’ve committed yourselves to making a life in this country, and today we’re celebrating the choice that you’ve made.”
That was Katherine Robertson, the federal judge who recently presided over a citizenship ceremony for 200 new Americans in Amherst, Massachusetts - just across the river from us. The event was held at a university where over 5,000 international students from 120 countries study and conduct research that benefits our society. And it was a few miles up the road from one of our state’s largest communities of resettled refugees.
On this blog, we try not to be political. We have wonderful customers and supporters of all stripes who we deeply appreciate. And here in our studio there is a wide range of opinions about everything. That is how it should be – a melting pot of people and ideas.
But this World Refugee Day is different from the 15 we’ve celebrated before. Frankly, we’re angry.
In this era of misinformation and fearmongering about foreigners on our soil, let’s set the record straight: immigrants, refugees and international students are not burdens. They are not stealing jobs or driving up the cost of housing. And they are 60% less likely to commit a crime than someone born here.
They are neighbors raising families and planting gardens. Scientists conducting life-saving research. Doctors, entrepreneurs, hard-working employees, and caregivers showing compassion in our most vulnerable moments. They pay taxes and contribute to the economy just like anyone else.
They are us.
Yet today we are battling hateful rhetoric and cruel policies from the highest levels of our government, notably Vice President JD Vance who knowingly perpetuated lies about legal Haitian migrants. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem who violates the Constitution by disappearing law-abiding residents without due process. And White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, architect of the draconian immigration policies of this administration.
Draconian, and racist. On May 8th the U.S. granted 54 Afrikaners refugee status as “victims of unjust racial discrimination.” So to be clear, there is no room for Syrian children, Afghan interpreters, Sudanese fleeing genocide, or persecuted families who have endured years of careful vetting by our own government… but we have space for the white descendants of Dutch colonizers claiming reverse racism.
This is a moral failure. This is racial preference masquerading as compassion. Who we welcome to our country reveals who we are, and right now that’s a damning reflection in the mirror.
This country was built on immigration and made stronger by those who arrived with hope and ambition. From the farm workers who put food on our tables to the engineers who helped create Silicon Valley to the refugees who rebuild their lives and enrich us with their strength and resilience. We owe our prosperity in large part to those born elsewhere.
Many argue that the objective is to deport only those who have entered the country illegally and committed a crime. But that is not what is happening. That is not why Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered a student at Tufts University to be seized and deported.
Enough with the scapegoating. Enough with the lies. Enough with the narrative that devalues human life based on skin color and birthplace. It is time to reclaim the truth. Immigrants, refugees and foreign students don’t weaken this country. They are America at its best: diverse, dynamic and determined to work toward a brighter future.
So on World Refugee Day 2025, we celebrate not only the contributions made by so many who arrived here after years of suffering to build new lives, like the artisans of Prosperity Candle, but also to this country’s long tradition of fighting for freedom and justice for all.
“There's one thing that's unique about America. It's a place where those fleeing torture and persecution and discrimination could come to find refuge. It's the place where those people would have an opportunity to achieve a dream… no matter their bloodline or what patch of soil they grew up on.” – Tim Miller, The Bulwark
