What We’ve Lost by Abandoning International Aid
U.S. refugee assistance programs have helped millions of displaced families all over the world, reducing maternal and infant mortality, providing life-saving medications, teacher training, and basic primary and secondary education. The costs of such assistance to our nation were miniscule, only 0.0012 percent of U.S. spending per year, according to an analysis by J.R.S. But deep cuts to programs such as Migration and Refugee Assistance and International Disaster Assistance will drastically reduce life-saving efforts. And the Trump administration’s cancellation of nearly $5 billion in foreign aid already approved by Congress imperils not only global health and stability but also trust in the United States to honor its commitments.
William O'Neill S.J., Ph.D., director, immigration ethics, published by America Magazine.