During the first Trump Administration, Renoites rallied for resettlement and laid the foundation for statewide bipartisan support. We can follow their lead.

A Rally Turns into a Ripple

In 2017, during the Trump Administration’s first term, community members in Reno came together to ‘rally for the refugees.’ The rally turned into a statewide ripple of bipartisan support for resettlement that would re-shape what was politically possible in Nevada.

Later that year, Reno became a welcoming city. During Nevada’s next legislative session, the Legislature created a statewide Office for New Americans. The following year, Nevada legislators from both sides of the aisle came together to advocate for newcomer integration and language access resources.

Local efforts continued, too. In 2022, the City of Reno developed a federal legislative platform urging “Congress to continue to support refugees through inclusive, comprehensive, and supportive processes.”

Change wasn’t linear—the rally didn’t create a one-to-one chain reaction—but sustained investment into community leadership harnessed the attention of Nevada’s policymakers and, ultimately, built a more welcoming state.

What started as a rally became a city ordinance became state law—law with strong bipartisan support. That’s how change can happen federally, too—if only we invest in it.

Advocacy for a resettlement minimum needs to start small: in our city councils, state legislatures, and with our governors. As cities and states lose their ability to resettle refugees, local policymakers can cry for change: these are cries our federal legislators are more likely to hear.

By starting small, we can future-proof the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program by codifying a resettlement floor.

Click here to read how.