Refugees and Asylum Seekers
The United States has a longstanding tradition of welcoming individuals from around the world who are seeking protection and refuge. But recent U.S. policy has grown increasingly hostile toward asylum seekers and refugees. Instead of turning vulnerable individuals away, the United States should maintain its global reputation as a leader in refugee resettlement and humanitarian protection. Doing so not only upholds American values but sustains and strengthens our communities. Data from the Council shows that refugees and asylees make tremendous contributions to our economy as earners, taxpayers, and consumers. Learn more about the contributions and challenges of asylum seekers and refugees below.
Innovative Pastor Helps Refugees Help the U.S. Economy
This year, former pastor Leah Lonsbury opened Just Bakery, an Atlanta nonprofit that provides job training, food service certification, and a living wage for resettled refugees. Lonsbury isn’t the first to turn to baking to make change. She used to live in Madison, Wisconsin, where a good friend runs… Read More
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Continues to Inhibit Asylum Seekers’ Legal Access and Invite Litigation
Since the reintroduction of family detention under the Obama administration, abuse of the mothers and children held in these facilities has run rampant. The family detention scheme has grown increasingly controversial not only because it has failed to provide safe and humane conditions for mothers and children, but also… Read More
Lawsuit Challenges Government’s Interference with Legal Representation of Mothers and Children Detained in Dilley, Texas
Access to legal counsel is a core American value and is the cornerstone of our justice system. Yet, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has severely limited access to legal assistance for asylum-seeking women and children held in family detention facilities. Read More
Chicago Writer Examines Her — and Her Country’s — Refugee Experience
Writer Megy Karydes says people are surprised when she tells them she was a refugee. “I look American,” she says. “It’s not as if we wear a T-shirt announcing it.” Although Karydes was born in the United States, her parents, who were Greek citizens, had returned to their home… Read More
In America, Rwandan Refugee Gains a Voice and Creates Jobs
From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Rubens Mukunzi runs a Buffalo-based newspaper, where he writes, edits, and meets with advertisers. After a one-hour break for dinner, the Rwandan refugee starts his shift at a cleaning company, where he works until midnight. The hours are long, but Mukunzi… Read More
One Refugee Couple, Dozens of Entrepreneurial Stories
Nadia Kasvin came to the United States under the terms of the Lautenberg Amendment, a 1989 policy that allowed Jews and other religious minorities facing persecution in the former Soviet Union to seek asylum in America. Three years after applying, and after numerous background checks and interviews, Kasvin and her… Read More
Resettled Refugees Contribute Millions to Wisconsin Economy
Since it first opened its doors in 2012, the Christian nonprofit World Relief Fox Valley has resettled 700 refugees in Appleton and Oshkosh, in Wisconsin. “The communities have been supportive, and anyone who doesn’t support the mission doesn’t understand the program or who refugees are,” says the organization’s director, Tami… Read More
Retired Teacher Now Teaches Refugees, to Town’s Benefit
Nearly 10 years ago, when Dr. Lois Todd-Meyer was a high school English teacher, one student in particular left an impression. “She’s what would today be called a Dreamer,” Todd-Meyer recalls. The student, brought to the United States at a very young age, was determined to become a doctor. But… Read More
America’s Treatment of Asylum Seekers Reviewed by Regional Human Rights Body
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) heard testimony today about policies that prevent access to the U.S. asylum process for those fleeing grave danger in their home countries. U.S. law guarantees the right to seek asylum to all who flee persecution and arrive at our border looking for protection. Read More
Travel Ban 2.0 Halted by Two District Judges
The Trump administration has failed in its attempt to rewrite the executive order banning individuals from targeted Muslim-majority nations in order to pass legal muster. On the eve of the new order taking effect, two district judges have shut it down. The first nationwide order was issued by… Read More
All gifts are matched dollar for dollar up to $75,000
No one should face the immigration system alone
