In his statement regarding an announcement about withdrawing Texas from the refugee admissions program, Rippenkroeger states that he is “disappointed by Gov. Abbott’s announcement seeking to withdraw the State of Texas from its role in the U.S. refugee admissions program after nearly 40 years of participation, especially at a time in our history when Texas’ compassionate legacy of welcoming refugees seeking safety from violence and oppression is needed more than ever” (1).  He creates his claim by describing the different achievements of the Refugee Services of Texas along with the safety of the process. Rippenkroeger’s purpose in the speech is to inform the audience about the issue and the stance he’s taking, along with persuading the audience to vote in favor of allowing refugees in the United States and allowing Texas to help.  Rippenkroeger’s statistics and list of accomplishments provides a tone of pride, and indicates an educated audience that has the power to change the made decisions.