Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center: ON REFUGEES

The Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center, in keeping with its mission of teaching the lessons of the Holocaust, is impelled to speak out about the issues underlying our nation’s response to the refugee crisis.

We can never forget the consequences to millions of Jews who were unable to escape from Nazism. Their fate was determined in part by the refusal of free nations, including the United States, to accept them. Underlying this refusal were anti-Semitism and xenophobia, as well as national security and economic fears. This helped to empower a movement that was catastrophic for the entire world.

Today there are many legitimate refugees fleeing from the criminal and genocidal acts of ISIS and Assad. We understand and agree with the importance of defending our vital national security interests; however, we believe that there is a moral imperative to protect legitimate refugees regardless of their national or religious origins.

Valerie M. O’Keeffe Millie Jasper
Chairperson Executive Director