This bill would establish a process requiring local governments to hold public hearings in response to proposed refugee resettlement within a 100-mile radius of the proposed resettlement.
Refugees are people who have been forced to flee their home countries due to war or persecution for their race, religion, or nationality. Unable to return to their home country, they are often stranded in refugee camps in another country, sometimes for decades. By resettling in the United States, people who are driven from their home country have another opportunity to live freely, worship as they choose, and contribute to their communities.
The first refugees to arrive in Wisconsin were Hmong from Laos in the 1970s, which brings the total number of refugees resettled in Wisconsin to over 75,000. Since the year 2000, over 16,000 refugees have been resettled in the state of Wisconsin from 50 different countries. Learn more about the refugee resettlement process here.
Ultimately, refugee resettlement is a rigorous federal process that involves collaboration between the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) managed by the Department of State, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families Bureau of Refugee Programs, eight resettlement agencies throughout the state.
Federal and state government agencies along with non-governmental organizations are already required to consult with local governments and the community regarding resettlement plans and support services available to refugees. This proposal would only sow unwarranted hostility towards refugees as they try to start a new life in Wisconsin after going through unimaginable trauma in fleeing their home countries.
