As 111 religious leaders and 59 national, state, and local faith-based organizations across traditions, we
urge you to support and pass the Afghan Adjustment Act (S.4787 / H.R.8685) as part of the
upcoming FY 2023 Continuing Resolution.
Today, 89 local, state, and national organizations led by the Temporary Protected Status and Deferred Enforced Departure Administrative Advocacy Coalition (TPS-DED AAC) wrote to President Biden, Secretary Mayorkas, and Secretary Blinken to urge an 18-month extension and redesignation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Burma.
RCUSA delivered a letter to President Biden on behalf of 100 national, state, and local organizations urging him to set – and meet – a refugee admissions goal of 200,000 for the 2023 fiscal year.
Ahmad Jawed Tokhi watched quietly last Monday morning as the Landover Hills street around him thrummed with excitement on the first day of school.
Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA) joined fellow members of the Interfaith Immigration Coalition (IIC) in urging Congress to support and pass the Afghan Adjustment Act, and the Biden administration to create safe and efficient pathways out of Afghanistan and into the United States.
Ahead of next week’s one-year anniversary of the fall of Kabul, both the United States Senate and the House of Representatives have introduced the long-awaited bipartisan Afghan Adjustment Act.
On December 15, 2021, Secretary Mayorkas committed the U.S. government “to pursuing initiatives to enhance recognition of, and protections for, vulnerable populations, including stateless individuals within the United States.” In doing so, he noted: “Statelessness presents significant humanitarian concerns that require a careful and thoughtful response specifically tailored to the distinct and diverse needs of stateless persons.”
Now, more than nine months after Secretary Mayorkas’ initial announcement and with only three months left in the fiscal year, these commitments have not been implemented, and the stateless community has not been apprised of the timeline or method of implementation.
Today, the Supreme Court ruled that the Biden Administration was within its rights to end the inhumane Remain in Mexico (MPP) policy. Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA) celebrates this long-awaited news alongside the many grassroots movements, civic and nonprofit organizations.
Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA) is heartbroken by the news of the senseless and tragic deaths, and severe physical injury, of at least 50 people who were seeking a safer life who were found in an abandoned tractor-trailer in San Antonio, Texas.
Last week, LSSNCA joined 100+ civil society organizations calling on the Biden Administration to take all available additional steps to end the Title 42 policy - which has overwhelmingly targeted Black, Brown & Indigenous asylum seekers - and mitigate its continuing harms.
LSSNCA was one of 117 organizations to urge the Biden administration to resume legal services for Afghans who are eligible for Special Immigrant Visa status.
How many Ukrainian refugees are in the U.S., where are they and how long can they stay? Why is the process for Ukrainians different from other refugees?
A recently announced federal program called Uniting for Ukraine is a pathway for Ukrainians fleeing their country to stay in the United States for up to two years. Ukrainians participating in the program must have someone in the U.S. who agrees to provide financial support for the duration of that stay. The door is open for up to 100,000 refugees from the war-torn country.
Even though it’s expected that the majority of Ukrainians will resettle in European countries, the Tent Partnership for Refugees is working to help recent arrivals from Afghanistan settle into life in the U.S. and has developed a resource for American companies designed to help them find work and job training opportunities.
Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA) celebrates the passage of language in the Ukraine supplemental signed by President Biden making Ukrainians in the United States with humanitarian parole status eligible for certain refugee benefits and services through the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). These essential benefits include Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA), Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA), and employment case management services.
Yesterday, families and friends of 19 children and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas experienced a nightmare, and we all went to sleep heartbroken. Our prayers are with those impacted by this tragedy. Today, let’s wake up.
103 faith-based organizations and 215 faith leaders sent a letter to Congress urging them to uphold U.S. asylum laws and strongly reject any anti-asylum measures. Earlier this month, people of faith joined immigrant-led groups in welcoming the Biden administration’s plans to end the inhumane Title 42 policy by May 23rd, and expressed their readiness to work with the administration to restore welcome.
Ukrainians arriving through the Uniting for Ukraine program will not be able to access the same public benefits and services as a refugee, and refugee resettlement agencies, like Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA), will not have funding to provide case management and job placement services.
Uniting for Ukraine leaves Ukrainians vulnerable and without access to the same benefits and services as a refugee. LSSNCA is gearing up to help welcome Ukrainians, and looks forward to continuing our partnerships throughout the community so we can build a strong network of welcome and support around our new neighbors.
After years of advocacy by the diaspora and with the immigration community, Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA) is relieved the Biden Administration is finally extending lifesaving Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Cameroonians.
Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA) welcomes the signaling from the Biden Administration that it will end Title 42, a decision that is long overdue. This harmful policy denied more than 1.7 million people fleeing persecution their lawful right to seek asylum in the United States.
Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA) is pleased by the announcement from the Biden Administration that the United States will welcome 100,000 Ukrainians and others fleeing Russian violence. We implore the Administration to diligently review visa options, so we do not leave another group stuck in immigration legal limbo like Afghan nationals who were granted humanitarian parole status.
This year, the General Assembly passed SB 68 / HB 979, important legislation that strengthens refugee
integration in Virginia and helps them continue to thrive. We encourage Governor Youngkin to swiftly sign the legislation into law. This legislation creates a provisional teacher licensure for teachers licensed or certified to teach outside of the United States and addresses the underutilization of refugee talent to strengthen our
education system.
Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA) is pleased with the Administration's announcement today that it has designated Afghanistan for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months, acknowledging Afghans cannot return home due to the current dangers.
Over the last five years, Virginia’s resettlement program downsized significantly as the rate of refugee arrivals slowed. This devastated families awaiting reunification, abandoning their vulnerable relatives, and depriving employers who have relied upon refugees as employees with a reliable workforce The U.S. has committed to rebuilding the resettlement program and Virginia has already welcomed thousands of Afghan evacuees. Virginia has a critical role to play in investing in community wholeness and ensuring new arrivals have their basic needs met.
