Refugee Resettlement: A Letter to the Burleigh County Commission

[The following was email on December 9, 2019 to the five Burleigh County Commissioners]

Commissioners Bitner, Woodcox, Armstrong, Jones, and Peluso:

Thank you for your work on our Burleigh County Commission. I know that this is a challenging time, and so I wanted to reach out to let you know that I am thinking of and praying for each of you. I’d also like to share some thoughts prior to this evening's meeting:

As a citizen and local pastor, I am supportive of our county's current system of resettling refugees. After researching the LSS program, I've learned the following:

1) There is no risk of Burleigh County being overwhelmed by refugees. The Presidential Declaration (PD) has limited the total number of refugees to 18,000 this year (nationally), and only families with a relational connection in our county are considered for placement here. This means that refugees will not come in numbers that are unsustainable to the local economy. As with the 25 individuals who came last year, they borrow funds to travel here after being carefully vetted, and they are given only a modest stipend to get settled into a living quarters.

2) Approved refugees have a net positive impact on our local economy and culture. Most refugees are employed within 2 months and are proud to be fellow citizens alongside the rest of us, eager to contribute and assimilate. Most of these individuals come from the Congo, as it happens, and are eager to be gainfully employed in the many open positions in our area.

3) Surprise Church and many of our sister congregations are committed to aiding in the welcoming and assimilation process. Refugees enter our county at a rate that would easily allow our churches and members to assist with mentoring and encouraging these new citizens. In truth, the local church is hardwired to welcome new people from every background by generously sharing our hearts, our homes, and our faith. More than any other local institution, the church is passionate about helping new people find a home in our city, in order to welcome them to strive with us to make it a better place to live. You can count on the local church to support the resettlement process in the days ahead!

4) A refugee ban should only be the response to serious social problems. While our county has seen rapid growth and change over the past decade due to the oil boom, refugee resettlement has not been a challenge or problem. However, it has afforded our county the opportunity to welcome our global neighbors into our neighborhoods. This has given us a chance to grow and become a stronger, more diverse place to live. While we hope that America’s overall immigration system can be reformed, the system for refugee resettlement in our county is solid.

5) A refugee ban would put our county on the map, in a very negative way. As with the DAPL protests, we have seen how local conflicts can become national news, especially when they have cultural and racial connotations. As we try to attract talented employees, innovative businesses, and potential students to our area, this is not an attractive image to convey. Thankfully, there is still time for this unnecessary crisis to be averted.

I'm aware that you are under immense pressure, in part due to the misinformation surrounding this issue. If I can do anything to help, as an individual or a representative of the local church, please contact me at any time.

Many thanks for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Pastor Matt Anderson

Surprise Church Bismarck