I Will Show My Faith Through My Actions
The U.S. Has Accepted Over 280,000 Refugees in the Past 10 Years
According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the G20 country with the highest number of recognized refugees from 2010 to 2020 was Germany (791,000 people). This was followed by the United States (279,000), France (202,000), Canada (149,000), Türkiye (131,000), and the United Kingdom (125,000).
The U.S. Announces Plan to Accept 20,000 Latin American Refugees
In June 2022, the U.S. announced at the Summit of the Americas that it would accept 20,000 refugees from Latin America over the next two years. This plan is part of each country’s response to the LA Declaration on illegal migration issues. The U.S. plans to accept 20,000 refugees during the 2023-2024 fiscal year and will resume a special program allowing temporary stays for family members of U.S. citizens and permanent residents from Haiti and Cuba. The U.S. has also decided to issue 11,500 non-agricultural temporary work visas (H-2B) to people from Central American countries and Haiti. In addition, it plans to launch multinational operations to crack down on illegal smuggling networks.
The History and Current State of U.S. Refugee Policies
According to the Refugee Act enacted in 1980, the U.S. President is required to set an annual refugee intake limit. In 1980, the first year of the Refugee Act, the refugee intake limit was 231,000, the highest ever. After that, the limit fell sharply to 60,000-70,000 but increased to 140,000 during the Balkan War in the 1990s. Since the 2000s, it has remained between 70,000-80,000. President Biden set the 2022 refugee intake limit at 125,000, but only about 20,000 refugees were actually accepted. This figure excludes 180,000 Afghans and Ukrainians who entered the U.S. through humanitarian parole.
Canada: The Second-Highest Country in Granting Citizenship to Refugees
In 2018, Canada had the ninth highest number of refugee applications in the world, and in 2019, it was the second highest country in granting citizenship to refugees. In 2018, 55,400 refugee applications were received, and in 2019, 18,000 refugees were granted Canadian citizenship.
Canada Grants 3-Year Stay for Ukrainian Refugees
In 2022, the Canadian government decided to allow Ukrainian refugees who fled the war to stay for three years.‘ The Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) program extended the stay period from two years to three, and it also includes visa fee waivers, simplified screening, and special employment support. Additionally, Ukrainians already residing temporarily in Canada can extend their stay for up to three years. The Canadian government has also announced that there will be no limit on the number of Ukrainian refugees it accepts.
》Scripture Prayer
James 2:13-20(NIV)
13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?
15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.
16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?
17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.
19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?
》Pray that the Word may become the Conclusion.
1. Many immigrants and refugees, dreaming of a better life, are flocking to the United States, which is considered a powerful nation in politics and economy worldwide. Pray that the U.S.
will recognize this as a time of faith in which God extends His mercy through them, and that they will show their faith through their actions, not just by providing economic opportunities.
2. Canada is actively accepting refugees and is also at the forefront of granting them citizenship. In 2022, Canada announced that it would place no limit on accepting Ukrainian refugees. However, let us pray that Canada will not only provide physical needs like food and shelter but also become a channel of salvation by sharing the gospel of the cross, which is God’s mercy.
3. Let us pray that not only the U.S. but also the leaders of Canada and other American nations will unite in wisdom and govern justly for their people as they address the issue of immigration from Central and South America. The U.S. is losing its reputation as a nation founded on Christian principles due to political corruption, social instability, rising crime, and economic crisis. Let us pray that it will repent before God, obey His word, and be restored.
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