OPINION: We should welcome refugees; it’s a New Mexican tradition

The global refugee crisis has reached an all-time high, and in 2022 it was estimated that 100 million people, or 1.2% of the total population, have been displaced from their home countries . In New Mexico, more than one-tenth of the population has immigrated from another country . The arrival of refugees in New Mexico dates back to the Pueblo Revolt of 1680 where New Mexico offered protection to both Spanish and Native American refugees .

In 1986, Gov. Toney Anaya declared New Mexico a state of sanctuary for Central American refugees escaping from their countries due to ongoing violence. Although New Mexicans can be proud of the hospitality we have provided refugees in the past, the state needs to ensure that newer generations of refugees receive the same welcome that past generations of refugees were afforded.

It has taken little more than 40 years for the United States to formally standardize its refugee resettlement program, and in recent years the United States refugee resettlement program has undergone major changes. In 1980, Congress created the Refugee Act of 1980 after realizing the necessity for an all-encompassing resettlement strategy. However, throughout the Trump and Biden administrations, the U.S. government’s response to the refugee crisis has been to increase aggressive enforcement and to deter immigrants from attempting to enter the U.S., which has been confusing and unclear for those trying to seek safety as well as for those who work with them .

High numbers of refugees and asylum-seekers place a heavy strain on systems that are not built to handle such numbers. The average wait time for an asylum hearing is 4.25 years, leading to a significant backlog of cases.

As social work students and advocates for refugees, we propose an overhaul of the United States’ approach to refugee resettlement, and increased funding for refugee resettlement programs in New Mexico. As described by the American Immigration Council, the current system fails not only refugees and asylum-seekers, but also border communities and governments.

We need a new and comprehensive system for refugees, in order to better support resettlement and reduce the burden on individual communities and local governments. We also need to strengthen refugee resettlement programs in New Mexico.

The state of New Mexico offers a Refugee Resettlement Program for refugees statewide, which ensures effective resettlement for refugees and provides refugees with support services. These services promote self-sufficiency for refugees through employment opportunities, which ultimately impact economic development and ensure that refugees are well-prepared to become members of society.

Through creating better systems nationwide and supporting the local resettlement programs we currently have, New Mexicans can honor our legacy of hospitality and strengthen the future generations of New Mexicans.

Joe Allbright, Miranda Lucero, Martha Munoz and Elena Spafford are master of public health students in the Department of Public Health Sciences at New Mexico State University.