(כ) וְגֵ֥ר לֹא־תוֹנֶ֖ה וְלֹ֣א תִלְחָצֶ֑נּוּ כִּֽי־גֵרִ֥ים הֱיִיתֶ֖ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
(20) You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.
וְגֵ֖ר לֹ֣א תִלְחָ֑ץ וְאַתֶּ֗ם יְדַעְתֶּם֙ אֶת־נֶ֣פֶשׁ הַגֵּ֔ר כִּֽי־גֵרִ֥ים הֱיִיתֶ֖ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
You shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the feelings of the stranger, having yourselves been strangers in the land of Egypt.
כי גרים הייתם כו' וידעתם צער הגר וכמ"ש ואתם ידעתם את נפש כו'.
Because you were strangers: and you know the sorrow of the stranger, and we learnt [in Exodus 23:9] you also know the soul of the stranger.
"No contracting state shall expel or return a refugee in any manner whatsoever to the frontiers of territories where his life or freedom would be threatened on account of his race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion."
1951 United Nations Refugee Convention
1951 United Nations Refugee Convention
Asylum in the United States may be granted to any refugee demonstrating a "well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion."
United States Refugee Act of l980
United States Refugee Act of l980
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. ...
“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
"The New Colossus," by Emma Lazarus (1883)
Rambam (Moses Maimonides), Mishneh Torah
The court is obligated to straighten the roads to the cities of refuge, to repair them and broaden them. They must remove all impediments and obstacles… bridges should be built (over all natural barriers) so as not to delay one who is fleeing to [the city of refuge]. The width of a road to a city of refuge should not be less than 32 cubits. “Refuge, Refuge” was written at all crossroads so that the perpetrator of manslaughter should recognize the way and turn there.
The court is obligated to straighten the roads to the cities of refuge, to repair them and broaden them. They must remove all impediments and obstacles… bridges should be built (over all natural barriers) so as not to delay one who is fleeing to [the city of refuge]. The width of a road to a city of refuge should not be less than 32 cubits. “Refuge, Refuge” was written at all crossroads so that the perpetrator of manslaughter should recognize the way and turn there.