Sen. Debbie Stabenow speaks to The Arab American News reporter

DEARBORN —  A week after the White House announced that the United States will accept 10,000 refugees from Syria over the next year, Sen. Debbie Stabenow told The Arab American News that the federal government should grant asylum status to more people fleeing the war-torn country. 

“I do think we should be providing refugee status and help to more Syrians,” she said. “We traditionally are a country that has opened our borders to people who are seeking asylum from many countries, and we need to continue that.”

Stabenow added that she understood from Secretary of State John Kerry that the 10,000 is a “beginning step,” and the number will increase over time. 

Since the beginning of the Syrian conflict in 2011, the United States has taken 1,500 refugees from Syria. According to the United Nations, more than 6.5 million Syrians were forced to leave their homes for neighboring countries. Meanwhile, thousands of Syrians are trying to reach Europe because of their dire humanitarian situation in the Middle East.

Stabenow acknowledged the scale of the human suffering the crisis caused. 

“It’s a horrible tragedy that’s occurring,” she said. 

The Senator said Kerry told her that the United States will increase humanitarian aid for refugees.

Stabenow said the United States is also working with European nations to address the crisis.

“This is a world problem; I think it should be all-hands-on-deck by everybody, including the United States,” she said.

The senator added that the Iran nuclear agreement between the Islamic Republic and the P5 + 1 world powers has cemented the relationship between the United States and its allies, which will increase global cooperation on other issues. 

“This is very much about diplomacy,” she said. “We are trying to work together to stop war when it comes to Iran, but also to work on the broader questions.”

Asked about the Syrian conflict, which has caused the largest influx of displaced people since the second World War, Stabenow said bringing peace to Syria is not an easy task.

“It’s extremely destructive, and right now there is no clear path to end it, which is extremely concerning to me.”

The senator added that several countries, including the United States, are trying to formulate a strategy to stop the civil war, which has been raging for four years, but have yet to reach a coherent plan.

“The goal should be to stop the conflict, not to just help refugees,” she said. “At this point it is a very difficult situation trying to figure out the best course. There’s still a tremendous amount of efforts going on, talking to people in Syria and the region how to end the conflict.”

Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Dearborn), also said the United States should do more to help Syria’s displaced people.

“The humanitarian crisis in Syria is a true tragedy, with a large impact on my constituents in Southeast Michigan, many of whom have family members trapped in the country,” Dingell told The Arab American News in an emailed statement. 

She added that the photo of drowned Syrian boy Aylan Kurdi on the shores of Turkey “captured and made real” the crisis, which has been building for years.

“While the United States has led the way in providing $3.769 billion towards the humanitarian response in Syria, it is clear that more needs to be done,” the congresswoman added. “My office has been in contact with the State Department and the Office of Refugee Resettlement at HHS to determine the best path forward, and I will work with all stakeholders to do everything we can to help those who are suffering in Syria find safety.”

In May, 14 senators, led by Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), sent a letter to the White House, urging President Obama to significantly increase the number of Syrian refugees allowed to resettle in the United States. 

“Our nation’s founders came to our shores to escape religious persecution, and the United States has a long tradition of providing safe haven to refugees,” the senators wrote. 

They added that the number of Syrian refugees accepted by the United States since the beginning of the conflict is “unacceptably” low.

“While the United States is the largest donor of humanitarian assistance to Syrian refugees, we must also dramatically increase the number of Syrian refugees that we accept for resettlement.”

In the House of Representatives, a similar letter by Rhode Island Democratic Rep. David N. Cicilline also called on the White House to open the door for more people trying to flee Syria. 

“[W]e request that the Administration increase the current limit of 70,000 refugees admitted annually, to accommodate a target of 65,000 refugees from Syria by the end of 2016,” the letter read. “Moreover, the U.S. should use its considerable global influence to encourage other nations, including within the European Union, to accept additional refugees and increase the resources available to support them.”