WASHINGTON, D.C.—Welcome.US Co-Chairs Cecilia Muñoz and John Bridgeland joined CEO Nazanin Ash and President and COO Anya McMurray in issuing the following statement on the passing of President Jimmy Carter, who served as an honorary Co-Chair of Welcome.US.
“As we celebrate the extraordinary life and legacy of President Carter, Welcome.US commemorates his deep commitment to helping one’s neighbor, in all forms, including expanding pathways for refugee resettlement in the United States. Faced with the most significant global refugee crisis since the Second World War, President Carter recognized the need for durable solutions to ensure everyone who seeks safety, security, and the opportunity to build a new life in the United States is guaranteed a fair process for admission. In a move that fundamentally changed our nation’s resettlement landscape, President Carter signed into law the bipartisan Refugee Act of 1980, a pivotal humanitarian achievement that created the first legal framework for welcoming refugees, which reached beyond government and directly involved private groups to support newcomers. This bold model of community welcoming is once again being embraced today amid historic levels of displacement worldwide through private sponsorship programs like Uniting for Ukraine, the Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans, and the Welcome Corps.
“As President Carter stated, ‘We are all neighbors in a global community.’ Together we must carry forward his message by opening our arms and our hearts to all those seeking freedom and safety.
“President Carter understood the power of involving American citizens in the refugee resettlement process,” added John Bridgeland, who worked closely with President Carter on several initiatives, including the Carter-Ford National Commission on Federal Election Reform, the COVID Collaborative, and More Perfect for democratic protection and renewal. “His early efforts to expand refugee resettlement—by tapping into the strength of America’s civil society and compassion of the American people—laid an important foundation that is integral to our work to help resettle hundreds of thousands of newcomers today.
“As the nation grieves the passing of President Carter, we will also find strength in the legacy he left behind.”
About Welcome.US
Welcome.US is a national initiative built to inspire, mobilize, and empower Americans and American institutions from all corners of the country to welcome and support those seeking refuge here. By unleashing the power of our civil society, the compassion of the American people, and innovations in the private sector, we have transformed our national resettlement system. Americans in 12,000 zip codes and across all 50 states have raised their hands to welcome newcomers through safe, legal, and orderly pathways—providing support to newcomers and our communities to thrive together and strengthen local economies.
