For many Americans, their ancestors’ first glimpse of the United States was the Statue of Liberty, emblazoned with a call welcoming the “huddled masses” and “wretched refuse” of the old world to breathe free. America’s greatest strength is still our ability to absorb the best of what the world has to offer and to turn it into something distinctively American.

We can do this because of a specific social technology—call it “openness” or “inclusivity.” Following the philosopher Karl Popper, we can think of this technology as being embodied in the idea of an “open society,” which is not only open to new ideas, new inventions, and new ways of doing things, but also to new people.

People are, after all, the fundamental carriers of ideas, values, and new ways of working and living. Open societies thrive on dynamism and ever-expanding social cooperation.

The idea of the open society is under threat around the world. Russia has, for the second time in a decade, invaded its peaceful neighbor Ukraine. This has already caused massive suffering and threatens to destabilize the region, potentially escalating into a full-scale confrontation between the West and Russia. China threatens to do the same to Taiwan, after already having extended its authoritarian rule into Hong Kong. Lesser powers that nevertheless continue to threaten their neighbors and hold their populations hostage include Iran and North Korea.

What can be done?

War is dangerous and costly. Stringent economic sanctions may weaken governments, but authoritarian regimes will push costs onto blameless citizens. We need a better way to help the victims as well as to inflict pain on the authoritarian regimes. Rather than a contest over who has the deadliest weapons, this can be done by demonstrating that our ideals of individual freedom and social openness are our core national strengths.

The United States has a mechanism for allowing refugees to seek protection here. This system, though, is often difficult to use in practice and has been made harder to use by those who doubt that our greatness comes from our freedom. Many countries, most notably Australia, prevent potential refugees from entering the country to avoid having to assess their status.

Rather than rely on the existing refugee system, the United States could lead the world by directly offering refuge to those most oppressed, offering them special visas to come to the United States.

A special category could be created for a five-year immigrant visa to live and work in the United States. Anyone who could prove residency in country designated as being oppressed would be eligible.

We could start with Ukraine, Hong Kong, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, for example.

Applications could be made online and sent to applicants electronically. This will make travel safer and easier. Once here, their five-year visa can be converted into a green card assuming there is no evidence of serious criminal behavior.

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This plan would provide renewed hope to many around the world, but this is not only a humanitarian policy — it is also a powerful way to increase our national strength. Instead of having their talents and motivation squandered by oppressive regimes, we can reward those virtues in our open, dynamic society.

We will benefit in two ways: an influx of talented and motivated people will spur the economy and culture of the United States, while also weakening the most oppressive regimes around the world.

We forcefully show the power and strength of the open society by showing that we are not afraid of new ideas and new people; we welcome them.

Let them in, and we all thrive.

John Thrasher is an associate professor of philosophy at Chapman University, as well as an adjunct senior research fellow in philosophy at Monash University. Ryan Muldoon is an associate professor of philosophy at the University at Buffalo.