September 28, 2018

Castro Releases Podcast Episode on Global Refugee Crisis

Ninth Episode of “Diplomatic Cable” Features former British Foreign Secretary, Current President and CEO of International Rescue Committee, and Son of Refugees David Miliband

WASHINGTON—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and First Vice Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, today released a Diplomatic Cable episode on the global refugee crisis featuring former British Foreign Secretary, current President and CEO of International Rescue Committee (IRC), and son of refugees David Miliband:

“As we’re in the midst of the worst refugee crisis since World War II, the Trump Administration announced their intention to cap refugee allowances for the coming fiscal year to just 30,000—an all-time low that juxtaposes who we are as a nation. This is more than a 30 percent drop from last year’s historically low ceiling, and at the same time, this Administration is cutting foreign assistance programs that address the root cause of this global crisis,” said host Rep. Castro. “We are a nation of immigrants that must be part of the solution—not the problem. On this episode of the Diplomatic Cable, I’m joined by former British Foreign Secretary, current President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee, and son of refugees David Miliband who discusses the symptoms, root causes, and effects of the global refugee crisis, and specific conflicts in places like Syria, Venezuela, and Myanmar.”

Mr. Miliband said on the episode, “The refugee crisis is actually a misnomer when it’s applied in an American or European context. It’s a real crisis in poorer countries, with low income, limited resources and then a big hit on their populations." 

The episode is available on iTunes, Spotify, and Google Play.

Future episodes of the Diplomatic Cable will include discussions with Under Secretary for Political Affairs at the United States Department of State Nick Burns, former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul, German Marshall Fund’s Laura Rosenberger and Jamie Fly, former State Department Cyber Coordinator Chris Painter, Council on Foreign Relation’s Max Boot and many other experts, practitioners, Members of Congress and American citizens. Episodes will focus on repercussions of U.S. withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the consequences of a rising China, the crisis in American diplomacy and development, election security, prospects for Middle East peace and many other issues.

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