Why Did I Choose to Research Asylum?

I chose my research topic because asylum has been a topic I have learned about for quite some time, and it has always been a topic of interest as an International Studies major. This issue is important to me because my heart always goes out to people fleeing from war stricken or genocidal countries, who endure even more hardships and face death because they have hope for a better quality of life elsewhere. Yet, those people who leave almost everything behind are turned away and stripped of any hope they may have had before they decided to leave. I think this is an important issue because it challenges what it means to be a global citizen, but more specifically what it means to be a U.S. citizen. As a U.S. citizen I have grown up with many freedoms and opportunities that others haven’t, and it makes me upset to see refugees turned away. I also recently attended an Association Friends of Venezuela event about immigration and the difficulty their people are facing. Venezuela had opened its doors to Italians after WW2, as well as Americans for tourism and even work. However, America is not returning the favor when Venezuelans are struggling to survive through their tribulations.

On a note about Syria, it is also heartbreaking to see Syrians refused asylum from their homes that have been tormented by war and evil. The United States made a choice to get involved with Syria after there was news of use of chemical warfare on civilians. The airstrikes from the U.S. increased war and worsened the status of Syria, and yet it refuses to help Syrians escape from danger. There isn’t an understanding that Syrians don’t have a choice to stay in Syria, otherwise they’d die. There is an assumption that refugees and asylum seekers are CHOOSING  to leave their home countries, and yet it’s extremely false. Refugees and asylum seekers CANNOT stay in their homes or else they will die. The journey to asylum is also dangerous, but it is a road to help. The dangerous waters and lands they cross get them closer to freedom and aid. At least, that’s what’s supposed to happen. In reality, though, this treacherous journey to asylum is often resulted in disappointment as they are turned away and expected to go back to their war torn worlds, stripping them of freedom, aid, and hope. My stance is that asylum seekers deserve respect, justice, and safety after experiencing persecution.

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