On the 40th Anniversary of the Refugee Act of 1980

Today marks the fortieth anniversary of the United States Refugee Act of 1980, the landmark piece of legislation that established the contemporary U.S. refugee resettlement program and asylum system. On March 17, 1980, President Jimmy Carter signed the Act into law.

Today we remember what this legislation has meant to our country, while at the same time we grapple with the harsh reality that many of the basic refugee protections codified in the Act are under serious threat.

Please watch this video Naomi Steinberg Vice President, Policy and Advocacy of HIAS.