HIAS Chief Attends White House Ceremony: Gratified by President Obama’s strong pro-immigration remarks

Posted on Fri, Apr 23, 2010 at 14:50 pm

(New York, NY) – Gideon Aronoff, President and CEO of HIAS, the international migration agency of the American Jewish Community, was present as an invited guest at today’s Rose Garden ceremony swearing-in 24 immigrant members of the U.S. military as citizens. It was a particularly poignant event for Aronoff in light of the fact that HIAS just learned of the recent death of Lt. Steve (Slava) Zilberman, a navy pilot who died while on a return mission from Afghanistan to

HIAS to Governor Brewer: Veto Immigration Bill; "Bill would force all Arizonans to live under a cloud of suspicion and fear"

Posted on Mon, Apr 19, 2010 at 16:05 pm

(New York, NY) – HIAS, the international migration agency of the American Jewish community, strongly opposes the Immigration; Law Enforcement; Safe Neighborhoods Act, SB 1070, currently before the Arizona legislature, and today urged Arizona Governor Jan Brewer to veto the bill when it reaches her desk.

According to Gideon Aronoff, President & CEO of HIAS, “If passed, this pending legislation would do more harm than good. The Jewish community has long called on our national leaders to reform our immigration

HIAS Joins 200,000 Advocates in Washington, DC to Rally for Comprehensive Immigration Reform: HIAS Participates in Events to Unify the Jewish Community on Immigration Reform

Posted on Mon, Mar 22, 2010 at 17:55 pm

(New York, NY) – With Passover, the Jewish holiday of freedom starting next week, HIAS, the international migration agency of the American Jewish community, joined an estimated 200,000 advocates on Sunday, March 21, 2010 in Washington, DC to ask Congress and the Administration to move forward on passing comprehensive immigration reform. For the last several months HIAS has worked as part of We Were Strangers, Too: the Jewish campaign for immigration reform, to ensure a strong Jewish presence at the

HIAS Strongly Supports the Refugee Protection Act

Posted on Mon, Mar 15, 2010 at 17:48 pm

(New York, NY) – HIAS, the international migration agency of the American Jewish community, strongly supports the Refugee Protection Act of 2010, introduced today by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Carl Levin (D-MI). The legislation marks the 30th anniversary of the Refugee Act of 1980, which established procedures for the U.S. to live up to its obligations to refugees and asylum seekers under the 1951 U.N. Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol.

According to Gideon

HIAS Strongly Supports H.E.L.P. Act to Expand Immigration Options for Haitians

Posted on Tue, Feb 09, 2010 at 16:52 pm

(New York, NY) – HIAS, the international migration agency of the American Jewish community, strongly supports the Haitian Emergency Life Protection Act of 2010 (The H.E.L.P. Act.), introduced on Friday by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ), and Representative Yvette Clarke (D-NY).

The H.E.L.P. Act will increase immigration options for Haitians by temporarily expanding the V non-immigrant visa category to include Haitians with family-sponsored immigrant petitions approved on or before January 12, 2010. These Haitians then could come

Advocacy Groups Urge Improved Immigration Options for Haitians

Posted on Thu, Feb 04, 2010 at 15:32 pm

(Washington, DC) – Immigration advocates today called for the U.S. government to expand its immigration options for Haitians affected by the devastating earthquake in January. At a congressional briefing and press conference sponsored by a wide coalition of faith-based and non-sectarian organizations, activists urged the U.S. to take additional steps to accommodate migrants and potential migrants from Haiti by ensuring access to asylum screenings for those with protection concerns interdicted at sea and by extending humanitarian parole to those waiting

HIAS Deeply Concerned About LGBT Refugees Abroad: Supports Sen. Gillibrand's letter to Secretary of State on ways to safeguard this population

Posted on Thu, Feb 04, 2010 at 14:31 pm

(New York, NY) – HIAS, the international migration agency of the American Jewish community, is deeply concerned about the safety of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals in countries where these individuals are at great risk and afforded inadequate protection by the government. We applaud Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY) for forcefully expressing those concerns to Secretary of State Hillary R. Clinton in a letter joined by a dozen Senators and 32 Representatives.

According to Gideon Aronoff, President & CEO

After the Earthquake: Haitian Migration & the U.S. response

Posted on Wed, Feb 03, 2010 at 15:56 pm

(Washington, DC) -- Since the devastating earthquake in Haiti, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has taken several actions to improve U.S. migration for Haitians, including granting temporary protected status to Haitians currently in the U.S., granting humanitarian parole for Haitian orphans, and expedited processing of immigrant visa petitions for Haitians with family members in the U.S. This briefing will explain additional steps that can and should be taken including ensuring access to asylum screenings for interdicted Haitians with protection

HIAS Urges U.S. to Grant Temporary Protected Status to Haitians in Wake of Disaster

Posted on Wed, Jan 13, 2010 at 17:16 pm

(New York, NY ) – HIAS, the international migration agency of the American Jewish community, strongly urges the U.S. government to grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Haitians currently in the U.S., in wake of the earthquake that devastated much of Haiti yesterday.

To that end, HIAS, has joined the Refugees Council USA and 24 other refugee agencies in sending a letter today to Secretary of State Hillary R. Clinton and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano, calling upon

HIAS Launches National Center for Refugee, Immigration and Integration Services: HIAS Engages Local Partnerships Throughout the U.S. to Implement National Advocacy Campaigns

Posted on Wed, Jan 13, 2010 at 17:13 pm

(New York, NY) – HIAS, the international migration agency of the American Jewish community, today launched the HIAS National Center for Refugee, Immigration and Integration Services (the "Center"). The Center, which will operate on a national level to assist and engage local organizations and Jewish communities that serve newcomers, is a testament to HIAS’ ongoing commitment to provide essential resettlement services to refugees and immigrants. It was introduced at the HIAS 2010 National Refugee Services Conference, an annual gathering of