The number of refugees entering the U.S. has fallen dramatically in the last three years: from roughly 85,000 refugees entering the country in 2016 to fewer than 30,000 people this year. The number of refugees resettling in Vermont has shrunk to roughly a third of what it was three years ago. We're talking about changes to the country's refugee policies and how it affects the refugees coming to the country, the families they leave behind and the nonprofits and agencies helping them resettle.
Joining the discussion from the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, a nonprofit organization that advocates for the rights of immigrants and aids in their transition to the U.S., is Amila Merdzanovic, director of the Colchester USCRI office. She is a refugee from Bosnia and Herzegovina who has worked with refugees in Vermont for 15 years. We'll also talk with Lee Williams, who's managed refugee programs and domestic field offices as USCRI senior vice president.
Broadcast live on Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2019 at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.