Given our long history of persecution and dislocation, the Jewish people well understand the plight of refugees fleeing for their lives. For over 115 years, our Jewish Federation has provided services to refugees of all faiths, nationalities, and ethnicities including those from Bosnia, Burma, Iraq, Iran, Russia, Rwanda and elsewhere. We are proud of this work, which is deeply rooted in the Jewish values of empathy and fair treatment of the stranger.

Today, as we find ourselves confronting the worst refugee crisis since World War II, we reassert the need for ethical and secure resettlement policies. These policies must uphold America’s fundamental values while also ensuring the security of our citizens, virtually all of whom are descendants of refugees and immigrants or are so themselves.

We recognize that today’s situation regarding Syria is uniquely complex. The global rise of terrorism has necessarily increased concerns over our country’s security. These concerns should be addressed while also ensuring that America remains a beacon of hope and a safe harbor for those fleeing persecution because of their religion, race, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group.

As Congress seeks to find this balance, we caution against calls to bar or to privilege certain groups of refugees solely because of their religion or country of origin. Such sentiments do not constitute sound refugee policy, and remind us of similar attitudes targeting Jews seeking refuge in the United States during the Nazi reign of terror.

As current refugee resettlement policies are being debated, we will continue to ensure our community has up to date information on existing policies and screening practices, in addition to information on our long-term organizational role in administering the federally funded refugee social services program for the State of Illinois.