In 2016 almost 39,000 Muslim refugees entered the United States, representing a record of admissions during a time of elevated anti-Muslim political rhetoric and public sentiment. Anti-Muslim attitudes and policies can affect refugees’ ability to successfully resettle and contribute to decreased health status. Given the current social and political moment there is an ethical imperative for social workers to engage in resistance to anti-Muslim sentiment and the encoding of Islamophobia in resettlement policy. In this article, the authors explore constraints on resettlement social workers’ engagement with advocacy and make suggestions for ethical practice that promotes social and emotional well-being. © 2017 Taylor & Francis.

Anti-oppressive practice Refugees Ethics

refugee management social policy Islam human wellbeing ethics Refugees health status Social Workers social worker Social Work public attitude United States Muslim advocacy psychology racism prevention and control policy making