In the last few months, there have been several changes to the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program and other updates impacting refugee and immigrant families.

The U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program was suspended earlier this year, halting the arrival of new refugees. The federal government also terminated its cooperative agreements with all national resettlement agencies, ending a 45 year partnership in refugee resettlement. We are awaiting additional updates about the course of resettlement for the coming months and years.

The federal government has also ended Temporary Protected Status for thousands of people who are legally in the United States. This includes thousands of Afghans, many who were evacuated by the U.S. government after the fall of Kabul in 2021 when the Taliban retook control. The administration has also ended Temporary Protected Status and parole for those from Cameroon, Venezuela, and Haiti.

These announcements have brought deep unrest to many families in our community – those who are unable to return to their home country because it is not safe for them, and others who worry that their current legal status may be impacted in the future.

• An Afghan father who worked with the U.S. government and was targeted by the Taliban is fearful of the violence and restrictions his family may face in their home country.

• Families hoping to visit their loved ones who are sick in other countries are being advised to not leave the U.S. for fear of difficulty reentering this country.

• A Ukrainian family is afraid their current legal status will change in the coming months, leaving them at risk of deportation. They are unable to return to Ukraine with the current war.

All of these individuals were granted humanitarian parole or Temporary Protected Status in recent years.

We are providing care for resettled families in our community now, while continuing our work of building a more sustainable approach for those who will arrive in the years ahead. This new approach will invite, empower, and guide people like you, your family, friends, faith community, and neighborhood to walk alongside our resettled neighbors as they rebuild their lives.

It’s moments like these that remind us of our shared humanity and the inherent dignity that every refugee, every immigrant, and every person holds.

We invite you to consider how you may be able to extend hope and care to our neighbors from across the globe.

• Grow in understanding of the complexities of refugee resettlement and immigration through reading, watching, or listening to stories here.
• Volunteer to support families locally:
  • Catholic Charities of Oregon
  • Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
  • Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization
  • Lutheran Community Services NW
• Join us in this work through a one-time donation. Or, join our Giving Community and become a monthly or quarterly donor.

We are committed to the work of coming alongside families whose lives have been marked so heavily by war, division, and loss. Thank you for your continued care for our resettled neighbors.