Refugees International Statement on the Murder of George Floyd

Statement by Refugees International President Eric Schwartz on the Murder of George Floyd:

“Refugees International joins millions of Americans and hundreds of civil society organizations around the country in demanding justice for George Floyd, an unarmed black American who was killed by a Minneapolis police officer on May 25, 2020. This tragic death, on top of other unjustified killings of unarmed black people in recent years in the United States, must lead to transformational reforms that address structural injustice and racism in criminal justice systems in the country. 

To be sure, our organizational mandate does not include criminal justice reform in the United States.

But central to the mandate of Refugees International is advocacy of the human rights of displaced populations that have been victims of bias, discriminatory policies, and structural injustice around the world, including in the United States. All too often, the perceived “otherness” of members of certain ethnic or racial groups—and nothing more—has driven those in power to perpetrate unspeakable abuses. 

At a defining moment like this one, all individuals and organizations that seek to defend human rights must stand together—in solidarity with George Floyd and the imperative of racial justice that this appalling event has—yet again—revealed.”

For more information or for press inquiries, please contact Sarah Sheffer at ssheffer@refugeesinternational.org.