Ali Tarokh, director of development at the Syrian Community Network in Chicago, reflects on his journey as a refugee and the ongoing challenges faced by displaced individuals worldwide. Having arrived in Chicago 13 years ago with documents from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Tarokh recalls the mixture of fear and hope that defined his early experience adapting to a new society and culture.

According to the UN, a refugee is someone forced to flee their country due to persecution, war, or violence, often because of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. At the end of 2025, there were an estimated 117 million forcibly displaced people globally, with 35.6 million registered as refugees and 9 million actively seeking asylum.

The United States has historically played a leading role in refugee resettlement, admitting more than three million refugees between 1975 and 2016. Many of these arrivals went on to contribute significantly to American society, with figures such as the late former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright serving as prominent examples. However, in recent years, the U.S. has reduced its refugee admissions substantially, impacting the country’s standing in international refugee assistance efforts.

The current administration’s dismantling of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program has had far-reaching consequences for both refugees abroad and those already resettled in the United States. This decline has led to widespread layoffs among nonprofit organizations and refugee resettlement agencies, predominantly affecting U.S. citizen employees. As a result, refugee and immigrant communities have experienced a reduction in available services and support systems.

On June 20, World Refugee Day, Tarokh paid tribute to those who have lost jobs and hope amid these difficult circumstances. “When the system cannot offer solutions but has become the source of the problem, it falls on us—as people—to support one another and ease each other’s pain,” he said, emphasizing the importance of community solidarity during such trying times.