Understanding Refugees in the Age of COVID-19

By Saadia Khan

We are living through times where many, if not all, our previously held notions of ‘normal’ have been challenged.  More than a hundred thousand dead just in the US, highest levels of unemployment in almost 90 years with projections that 42% of all coronavirus job losses will be permanent.  

While there is no clear end in sight at the moment, we trust that our government, despite the sometimes, bumbling response will find a way to deal with the humanitarian and economic fallout – free treatments, bailouts, and jobs bills.  When the Federal Government's response was inadequate, our state government stepped in. It took charge, and Governor Andrew Cuomo's daily briefings provided a sense of direction to many New Yorkers and residents across the US.

We have fully functioning Federal and State governments. Our hospitals, although overloaded, are operational, and in most instances, well managed; our frontline workers are working tirelessly to protect us. If our grocery stores run out of toilet paper, the supplies would eventually be replenished.  In spite of all this, many New Yorkers have chosen to leave the five boroughs and moved to more rural environs. 

Now imagine living in another country. where you have a college degree, a steady job, a family, you watch sports on the weekends, all and all a fairly “normal”  life.  Until, for reasons beyond your control, war breaks out. First, everything shuts down slowly; the infrastructure starts to collapse—food supply, electricity, roads, and hospitals. There is no functioning government, law & order worsens with every passing day. You are caught in the crossfire between rival factions or governments. 

You try to stay for as long as humanly possible until you realize that your family’s survival depends on you leaving. You don't have time to legislate the pros and cons of such a precarious endeavor.  You embark on an unknown journey, which constitutes long walks, dangerous rides on the flimsy boat, and bribes to get to a refugee camp.

If you are lucky enough to reach a refugee camp, first, you go through a rigorous vetting process while you and your family are reeling from the trauma of crossing an ocean in a rubber boat. Living conditions at the refugee camp are often dangerous. The possibility of disease, rape, violence, and hunger is always present. You wait your turn to be matched for asylum in any country- you have no preference other than the wish to return to some sense of normalcy.  

And when after all this ordeal, when you finally arrive at your new destination, you are vilified and dehumanized and asked to "GO BACK TO WHERE YOU CAME FROM."

 Can you draw any parallels? When we see the suffering of others from afar, we often assume the worst about them and blame them for their misery. However, when we suffer through a disaster, we can empathize with the plight of others.

There are nearly 26 million refugees worldwide, according to the U.N. Refugee Agency.

A HIAS article dated Oct 4, 2019 points to a Refugee Council USA report which cites, how, among other things, "cuts to resettlement have already left refugees in dangerous situations; kept refugee families separated across continents and negatively affected U.S. communities that rely on refugees to help stimulate their local economies."

Yet acceptance of refugees is one of the most contentious issues in American politics. Recently, the Trump administration announced a proposed refugee resettlement ceiling of 18,000 for Fiscal Year 2020, a 40% cut from last year's number. Historically, the annual refugee admissions ceiling has averaged 95,000 per year. The current policy directive is mainly in line with Trump Administration's conservative agenda and to appease the GOP's base.

 A proverb in Urdu "Bora waqt aatey dair nahin lagti" can be loosely translated as "bad times can come without much notice." I concur that my Pakistani skepticism may seem to be at full display right now. But personally, living during a global pandemic has humbled me and forced me to reconsider my preconceived impressions on different issues.

 I hope that our reimagined normal will make us more aware of the affliction of others and that our shared pain makes us more empathetic towards others.  

 Hence on this World Refugee Day, maybe we can find a renewed sense of commitment to advocating for Refugees and Asylum seekers.