Mike Parson does the right thing for all Missourians by supporting refugees

At the beginning of this year, Missouri’s Republican Gov. Mike Parson made what is now seen as a bold political statement here in the United States: He expressed his support for refugees. He called them “vital members of our community,” and said that a displaying compassion toward these immigrants would help them become “patriotic and productive fellow Americans.”

Helping vulnerable families fleeing violence and war would not seem to be a partisan issue, but President Donald Trump has made it one. Last September, he issued an executive order giving individual states and localities a choice about whether or not they want to participate in refugee resettlement — part of his broader anti-immigrant agenda. And so, Parson’s expression of solidarity with those in need was immediately controversial. Detractors channeled rage on social media platforms and demanded his resignation. Many decried the use of taxpayer money to help newcomers settle and adjust.

And yet it’s telling that Republican governors of 19 other states — including our neighbors Nebraska, Iowa and Tennessee — took the same stance as Parson. They all understand what the president does not: Refugee populations unquestionably strengthen the American communities where they settle, and our investment in helping them integrate into American life pays dividends.

As the founder of the resettlement agency KC for Refugees, my volunteers and I have helped refugees from around the world overcome the trauma of displacement and build productive lives in our great state.

Take Liliane Lemani, for example, whose story was recently chronicled in The Star. She fled her home in the Democratic Republic of Congo and was forced to spend a dozen years in a Namibian refugee camp. After coming to the United States with her family in 2017, she opened a small sewing business. Liliane isn’t just an anecdote. Rates of entrepreneurship for refugees surpass those of native-born Americans, according the bipartisan 501(c)(4) nonprofit, New American Economy, or NAE. While just 9% of Americans launch their own businesses, 13% of refugees do.

Unfortunately, stories like Liliane’s are becoming increasingly rare. Under the Trump administration, refugee admissions have plummeted, resulting in the lowest number since Congress created a formal refugee resettlement program in 1980. For so many vulnerable people, the United States is now unrecognizable as a beacon of hope. That’s both morally reprehensible and economically misguided.

NAE conservatively estimates that refugees hold billions of dollars in spending power and pay more than $20 billion in tax contributions to federal, state and local governments each year. Especially in small towns, refugees help reverse population decline. They start new businesses, create jobs and boost tax revenues.

They also make our cities safer, perhaps because they are subjected to layer upon layer of background checks and clearances. In fact, Between 2006 and 2015, nine of the 10 cities to welcome the most refugees relative to their overall population saw both violent and property crime decrease, according to NAE. (The outlier city was in the throes of an opioid epidemic.)

In these desperate times, there is no shortage of vulnerable people to help, but it’s clear that when we give refugees a chance, they give us even more in return. Of the world’s 26 million refugees, around half are children under the age of 18. These young people deserve a chance at life, but they can also be our salvation.

In 26 states, the population of adults over 60 is increasing, while the population under 60 is declining. In 2025, Missouri will have a greater percentage of adults over 65 than the national average. We need young people for their economic potential and civic vibrancy.

A federal judge has issued a temporary injunction against the president’s order, but the administration will likely appeal. In the meantime, I am thankful that Missouri and Gov. Mike Parson are standing strong in support of our foreign-born neighbors: from the small business owners, to the health care professionals, to the processing plant workers and teachers. We need each other. That’s not a political statement but a human truth.

This story was originally published February 19, 2020 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Mike Parson does the right thing for all Missourians by supporting refugees."