"In 2017, as the United States closed its doors to refugees from Muslim-majority countries, 60 Minutes aired a segment on Canada's Syrian refugee program that was measured, humane, and quietly devastating in its contrast."
"Watching that from the United States, where policy had shifted toward restriction and exclusion, made it difficult to ignore the distance between what this country had long claimed to represent and what it was willing to do in practice."
"That search led me to Edafe Okporo, who had come to the United States as an asylum seeker after fleeing anti-gay violence in Nigeria and had since built a shelter supporting LGBTQ+ asylum seekers navigating a system that is as often hostile as it is bureaucratic."
In 2017, the U.S. shifted towards restrictive refugee policies, particularly against Muslim-majority countries, while Canada welcomed Syrian refugees. This contrast highlighted a significant departure from the U.S. identity as a refuge for those fleeing violence. The erosion of this ideal felt like a personal and political loss. Taking on a leadership role at the Girl Scouts of the USA allowed for action, leading to a connection with Edafe Okporo, an asylum seeker from Nigeria who supports LGBTQ+ asylum seekers facing a challenging system.
Read at Advocate.com
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