Steve Tobocman Urges Resettlement of Ukrainian, Global Refugees in Detroit

Steve Tobocman (’97), Executive Director of Global Detroit, coauthored an opinion for The Detroit News discussing how Detroit may welcome refugees and benefit from positive economic impact after Michigan adopts resolution supporting refugees fleeing wars of aggression “Opinion: Detroit Would Benefit from Accepting Ukrainian, Global Refugees,” Apr. 6). Citing Emma Lazarus’ famous inscription on the Statue of Liberty, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore,” Steve noted, “The words ring as true for Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion as they do for Afghan families who fought alongside the U.S. military. They also ring true for Haitians seeking temporary shelter after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake last August killed 2,000 and destroyed or damaged more than 100,000 homes and buildings. And they ring true for tens of thousands of families fleeing armed conflict and natural disasters in El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua, as well as Nepal and Sudan. . . . This welcoming character has important value for our foreign policy and is inextricably linked with our nation’s global leadership as an advocate for peace, democracy and economic collaboration.”

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