Television host Eireann Dolan and her boyfriend, Oakland A's pitcher Sean Doolittle, made a great statement when they hosted a Thanksgiving dinner for Syrian refugees in Dolan's native Chicago.

Dolan and Doolittle served dinner to 17 Syrian refugees to "welcome them to America."

"If you live in Chicago, these people are your neighbors," Dolan wrote in a blog post.

Dolan also used the opportunity to reflect on the divisive politics around the refugee crisis, expressing "shock and sadness" at anti-refugee sentiment currently dominating the debate over whether the U.S. admit refugees fleeing Syria. Dolan compared the situation of today's Syrian refugees to her Irish ancestors who also came to America seeking safety.

Related: These Memes Show How Outrageous It Is to Deny Syrian Refugees

"[Syrian refugees] were all desperate enough to have to leave their home with no promise of another home," Dolan wrote. "I’ve never felt that desperate. I’ve never had to choose homelessness. But I know some people who have. My family came to this country from a poor and war-torn Ireland within the last century."

Comparing Syrian refugees to others who have come to America

As ATTN: has pointed out, this argument has particular weight during Thanksgiving, a holiday that celebrates European settlers who came to America to practice their religion free of the sectarian conflict that had dominated Europe in the 16th and 17th century.

The strict vetting process for refugees.

Dolan also pointed out that 15 Syrian families have already settled in Chicago and that they have undergone a rigorous background check.

Related: Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson Explains the Screening Process For Refugees

ATTN: spoke with Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson about the vetting process, and he recorded this voice-over animated explainer to help educate Americans about what the federal government is doing to safely help refugees

Dolan said that anyone interested can help Syrian refugees by donating here or here.

(h/t CBS Sports + ThinkProgress)